Human Dimensions of Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas Best Management Practices Guidebook

Abstract

The world has entered a new age of large-scale marine conservation. Since 2006, more than 17 Large-Scale Marine Protected Areas (LSMPAs) have been declared or expanded - each more than 100,000 km2 in size and totaling more than 14 million km2. However, due to large-scale marine protected areas sheer size, complex socio-political realities, and distinct cultural and economic situations, successful design, management, and enforcement of LSMPAs remains a work in progress. As a result, the field of human dimensions of LSMPAs has emerged to address these gaps. Human dimensions of LSMPAs (HD LSMPA) embody the social, cultural, political, institutional, and economic considerations in design and management. Practical guidance is needed for informing how to integrate human dimensions into LSMPA design and management. This guidebook advises how to collect human dimensions information to understand the ways people interact with the marine environment and LSMPAs and, most importantly, how to consider their interests and behavior to improve LSMPA design and management. Practitioners of this guidebook will learn how to develop and implement an HD project in their LSMPA through the adaptive management process. This guidebook is intended for use by marine protected area practitioners, including site leaders, community leaders, marine managers, policy makers, and all relevant stakeholders involved in the design and management of LSMPAs.