Sustainable-use marine protected areas provide co-benefits to human nutrition

Aquatic foods are a vital source of nutrients for coastal communities around the world. The global commitment to expand marine protected areas (MPAs) means it is critical to understand how MPAs affect human nutrition and health. Here, we perform a literature review to identify the major pathways through which sustainable-use MPAs, those that allow for fishing activities within their borders, affect human nutrition and health. We found that sustainable-use MPAs often affect nutrition through three main pathways: (1) changes in fisheries catch, (2) changes in tourism activity, and (3) changes in ancillary programs. We also quantitatively analyze the contribution of sustainable-use MPAs to global catch, revenue, and nutrient supply. We estimate that sustainable-use MPAs contribute an average of 13.6% of global catch, 14% of fisheries revenue, and 13.7% of nutrient supply. Given dire global nutritional vulnerabilities, the potential impacts of MPAs on diets should be a key consideration in MPA expansion discussions.

Duke Scholars

Author David Antonio Gill Marine Science and Conservation