Towards networks of marine protected areas - The MPA of plan of action for IUCNs world commission on Protected areas

Abstract

Towards Networks of Marine Protected AreasThe MPA Plan of Action for IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas Laffoley, D. d’A., (ed.) 2008. Towards Networks of Marine Protected Areas. The MPA Plan of Action for IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas. IUCN WCPA, Gland, Switzerland. 28 pp. Funded by an Organisational Effectiveness Grant from the David and Lucile Packard FoundationVisit IUCN WCPA – Marine‘s websiteshttp://www.protectplanetocean.orgthis publication and in particular to Matt McIntosh. We are grateful to John Racanelli of John Racanelli and Partners who helped us undertake the Organisational Effectives work funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation which led to this publication. We would also like to thank the staff at IUCN, in particular Andrew Hurd for his work in helping develop this document and James Oliver, Front Cover: Increasing the number of marine World Heritage Sites is a priority for WCPA - Marine. Heritage in 2008. © Dan Laffoley/IUCNBack Cover: Around 50% of the surface of the Earth is covered by the High Seas, the area of being made about the marine life that live in these remote areas and the deep sea. They remain the largest gap in conservation action on Earth as they still lack any overall effective means by which this can be secured. © Deep Atlantic Stepping Stones Science Team IFE URI NOAA WCPA – MWCPA – Marine is the world’s premier network of Marine Protected Area (MPA) expertise. his Plan of Action has been developed by WCPA – Marine and our partners around the world as a resultextensiveconsultationprocess.processwehavesupportedbymassivework of agencies, organisations and individuals that have helped make this happen. We are grateful to everyone and particularly the following for their signicant assistance so far, and their ongoing support:• CurtisFoundation• DavidLucilePackardFoundation• ConservationInternational• Google• IUCNIUCN’sInnovationFund• NationalGeographic• Natural• �eNationalAtmosphericAdministration• �eNatureConservancy• WorldwideFundforNaturePlanActionfollowingpagesdescribesaddedWCPAMarinebrings to the global community working on MPAs. We identify the renewed need for urgent action to protect our oceans and seas, the main themes we work under and the global priorities that we believe areachievebridgebetweenworkonMPAs,needed in order to put in place eective and lasting networks of MPAs throughout the world. Alongside this Plan of Action is a Business Plan that sets out more about the approach and management structures we will use to take our work forward.We will use this Plan of Action to help us more consistently identify projects and programmes underbyincludepartMPAmission.Followingpublicationwewill ensure that the Plan of Action is periodically updated to contain the latest developments and decisions. We recognise though that this Plan of Acti