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Abstract

This decade represents a critical period to profoundly rethink human–nature interactions in order to address the interwoven climate and biodiversity crises. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) demonstrate promise for increasing ecosystem resilience and reversing habitat and population declines, but outcomes vary considerably from context to context. Partially protected areas offer a compromise between ecological recovery and the social needs of local communities, but their success is contingent on an array of factors. This in-depth review summarizes 15 years of marine conservation research and impact in Lyme Bay (southwest UK), to serve as a model for the future adoption of partially protected MPAs. The findings from the UK’s longest integrated socioecological monitoring MPA study are presented and supplemented by an evaluation of the whole-site management approach as a core element of Lyme Bay’s achievements. The journey from research to improved monitoring and ambitious policy is illustrated within and interspersed with stories of novel discoveries, ongoing challenges, and method developments. What started as a dedicated group of community members has grown into an immense collaboration between fishers, scientists, NGOs, and regulators, and their combined efforts have sent ripple effects of positive change across the globe.

Publication Date

2024-03-01

Publication Title

ICES Journal of Marine Science

Volume

81

Issue

2

ISSN

1054-3139

Acceptance Date

2023-12-01

Deposit Date

2024-11-26

Funding

This work was funded by the University of Plymouth, Blue Marine Foundation, Defra, and Natural England. These funders have also contributed towards the Lyme Bay monitoring research as well as the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC NE/M005208/1), Pig Shed Trust, South West Inshore Fishermen’s Association, South Western Fish Producers’ Organisation, the European Maritime Fisheries Fund, Dorset & East Devon Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG), Devon Wildlife Trust, and Interreg France (Channel) England.

Keywords

ecosystem-based management, fisheries, fishery management, marine conservation, marine policy, Marine Protected Areas, partnerships, socioeconomics

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Page

276

Last Page

292

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