Status of policy and target development and implementation for marine protected areas/marine managed areas in the Pacific Islands Region: a preliminary assessment and future directions

Abstract

This paper is based on presentations and discussions held during a marine managed areas (MMAs)2 session organised by NOAA, SPREP and Conservation International (CI) as part of the “Our Seas of Islands” Regional Forum for Oceania on MMAs convened by NOAA, UNESCO and partners held in Hawaii in January 2007. The overall objective of the session was to promote a shared understanding of the extent and diversity of MPA/MMA approaches and key lessons learned in their design, and to identify practical and strategic future actions to further apply these tools in the Oceania marine realm.