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| | The definition of a protected area, as adopted by IUCN, is: an area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means. Although all protected areas meet the general purposes contained in this definition, in practice the precise purposes for which protected areas are managed differ greatly. | | | | The benefits of establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) are well known, particularly for coral reefs. A reduction in fishing pressure, ideally through the complete closure of selected areas to all types of fishing, typically maintains more numerous and diverse populations of previously targeted species, leads to the reappearance of species absent from fishing grounds and substantially increases the biomass of large predatory species. There can also be positive effects on coral reef habitat with increased coral cover and structural complexity. | | | | The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is a global database of protected areas maintained as a collaboration the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre. This is the only comprehensive global list of protected areas, and contains links to descriptive data describing important sites ('site sheets'), and GIS-data showing the distribution of sites, including mapped boundaries for a large number of locations. Information of more than 4000 MPAs is included in the World Database on Protected Areas, and site sheets have been completed for approximately 20% of these. | | | | |
 | | | | | | | Title | United States Marine Protected Area (MPA) Inventory
( WEBSITE )
| | Description | This section of the Web site will provide access to the Inventory and other information on marine managed areas. Presently, it defines terms that describe the list and supporting inventory, describes the process that is being developed to produce the list, and presents an initial and very partial inventory of marine managed areas comprised primarily of federal sites, such as national parks and national marine sanctuaries. Additional information will be added as it becomes available. | | Keywords | PROTECTED AREAS; MPA; MMA | | Geography Keywords | US; USA; UNITED STATES | | Content Language(s) | English | | Web Address (URL) | http://mpa.gov/mpaservices/mpa_inventory.html | |
| Type of Website | Institutional website | | Contact | | | Email | Joseph.Uravitch@noaa.gov | |
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1076 Topics - 5135 Related Knowledge - 2534 Members - 34 Editors |
