Conservation Biology​​​ in the Boreal
HOW DOES NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR COMPARE??​
WHAT MARINE PROTECTED AREAS CAN ACCOMPLISH
"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it does otherwise"
- Aldo Leopold (2)
One of the most common goals of marine protected areas is to preserve ecosystem properties of characteristics and the processes that control or regulate them. Among the most commonly documented effects that reserves have on marine ecosystems are those in which the abundance, density, population structure, or composition of exploited species is changed within them. Because MPA's prohibit all forms of fishing and other extractive activities within their boundaries, targeted species benefit the most from marine protection (2).
Marine Protected Area Accomplishments: (1&2)​
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Improved Fisheries
• Increase abundance of overfished stocks
• Reduce fishing for vulnerable species
• Reduce bycatch and incidental fishing mortality
• Enhance reproduction
• Reduce probability of fishery collapse
• Provide basis for ecosystem management (2&1)
Provide and improve education and awareness to the public
Increase tourism qualities
Protect biodiversity at all levels​
Provide scientific research sites which can be used to assess human impacts
Protection against fishing gear that are harmful to the physical habitat
Protection against exploitation
Protection of ecosystem function, structure and integrity
References
1) Edinger Lecture- Marine Protected Areas- BIOL/Geog 4650, Mar 7, 2013
2) Sobel, J., Dahlgren. (2004). Marine Reserves: A guide to Science, Design, and Use. Washington, DC: Island Press.