Several studies were conducted in 2017 by IRD researchers and their partners, on the role and efficacy of Marine Protected Areas.
In an article published on 10 July 2017 in Nature Communications , researchers from IRD’s EPHE (Practical school of higher studies) and the University of Montpelier, with support from the CNRS, as well as five universities from other countries, show that the countries most dependent on coastal fishing receive the least fish larvae from marine reserves. However, these larvae are necessary to populate fishing zones and maintain exploited species. They help to maintain an economic activity, and even food security for certain countries. These results demonstrate the inadequacy of the global marine reserve system for larvae repopulation needs, primarily in the Global South. They also suggest that larval dispersion must be taken into account to optimise the placement of future reserves, in order to ensure better reconciliation of conservation, exploitation and food security. Finally, they highlight the importance of transnational strategies for the establishment of marine reserves, taking into account currentology and the ability of species to disperse in larval form.
On the same theme, another international study co-ordinated by Professor Callum Roberts (University of York) and involving IRD researcher Philippe Cury, shows that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play a role in mitigating the effects of climate change and can favour the adaptation of marine and human populations. These results, published in the PNAS review on 5 June 2017, were presented at the international Ocean Conference, held at the UN from 5 to 9 June 2017. This study provides new information for decision makers working on ocean governance strategies. It will fuel reflection on the spatialisation of the marine environment (determination of specific zones that regulate different uses), carried out particularly by the UN as part Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.