Good governance guidelines for MPA management
The good governance guidelines set out a general framework of the goals and strategies for managing marine protected areas. They include a systematic review of over a dozen case studies of managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Europe and around the world.
The studies present in a comparable form the objectives of each MPA, local circumstances and participation in a larger conservation network, as well as the types of managing authorities involved and their performance. Particular attention is paid to stakeholder involvement and the environmental and socio-economic effects of the MPA’s operations since its establishment or in the recent past.
The overview of MPA functioning and the measures taken to achieve their established objectives for protection of the natural and cultural heritage lead to recommendations focusing on good governance.
These make an attempt to delineate the organisational, technical and economic conditions that enable MPA authorities to strike a balance between restrictions and support for local stakeholders in their efforts to conserve valuable habitats and foster sea life diversity.
This document can serve as a guide for developing and implementing MPA management plans in the Black Sea countries, when decision-makers are considering local and regional conditions, thereby supporting a healthy future for the sea and all those who value and rely on it.