Building capacity and cooperation for Sustainable Development of Pacific Coastal Resources Forum: 'The Townsville Forum', Mercure Hotel, Townsville, Australia, 3-7 September 2007

Abstract

The term Marine Protected Area (MPA) includes any area of the coast and ocean that is under management to control potentially destructive activities and conserve the biodiversity resources. Other terms used in the Pacific to describe such an area are Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) and Marine Managed Area (MMA). Pacific participants defined a MP A as an area that was either entirely 'no-take', meaning there is no extraction, especially fish, from the area, or that a large part of the area is no-take. Most MP As in the Pacific are predominantly no-take, based on the traditional 'tabu' area practices. Larger MP As may include several zones, including areas where non-destructive fishing is permitted, such as in the Great Barrier Reef.