A marine protected area (MPA) is a protected area that includes primarily marine environment and biodiversity.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) defines a protected area as: <blockquote>"A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values."</blockquote> This definition is intended to make it more difficult to claim MPA status for regions where exploitation of marine resources occurs. If there is no defined long-term goal for conservation and ecological recovery and extraction of marine resources occurs, a region is not considered a marine protected area.
As of June 2019 there are 14,830 marine protected areas with a total area of representing 7.59% of the ocean.
Africa
Mozambique
South Africa
The listed MPAs were individually proclaimed. Some were later consolidated with adjacent MPAs and may not still be generally referred to by the original name.
- , (2019),
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- , (2004),
- , (2019), integrated with Aliwal Shoal MPA
- , (2019),
- , (2019),
- , (2000),
- , (2004),
- , (2019),
- , (2019),
- Castle Rock Marine Protected Area, previously known as the Millers Point Marine Reserve, now part of Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area (2000)
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- , (2000),
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- , (2000),
- , (2000),
- , (2000),
- (KwaZulu-Natal)
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- , (2000),
- , (2000),
- , (2000),
- , (2000),
- , (Western Cape)
- , (2019),
- , (2019),
- , (2019),
- , (2004),
- , (2019),
- , (2013),
- , (2019),
- , (2019),
- , (2000),
- , (2000),
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- , (2008),
- , (2004),
- , (2000),
- , (2000),
- , (2019),
- , (2001, seasonal),
Antarctica
Asia
Cambodia
- , 2018, . IUCN Category V.
Indonesia
Malaysia
- , 2007, . IUCN Category II.
- , 2001, . IUCN Category II.
- , 2016. IUCN Category II.
- , 1974. IUCN Category II.
Thailand
- , 1981, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1981, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1983, , IUCN Category II.
- , 1981, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1966, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1983, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1980, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1982, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1990, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1984, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1982, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1981, . IUCN Category II.
- , 1976, . IUCN Category II.
Europe
Italy
Finland
Sweden
United Kingdom
UK Overseas Territories
North America
Canada
United States
Oceania
Australia
- , (2012),
- ,
- , (2018), , IUCN category VI
- , (2018), , IUCN category VI
- , , IUCN category IV
- , (2018), , IUCN category VI
- , (1983), , IUCN category Ia.
- (2000) , IUCN category Ia
- , (2018), , IUCN category VI
- , (2018), , IUCN category IV
- , (2018), , IUCN category VI
- , (1991), , IUCN category II
- , (1987), , IUCN category IV
- , (2018), , IUCN category IV
- , (2007), , UCN category II
- , (2018), , IUCN category IV
- , (2018), , IUCN category IV
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category II
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category II
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (1999), , IUCN category IV
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2007), , IUCN category VI
- , (2013), , IUCN category VI
- , (2012), , IUCN category VI
- , (2012), , IUCN category II
- , (2013), , IUCN category VI
- , (2012), , IUCN category VI
- , (2012), , IUCN category VI
- , (2012), , IUCN category VI
Cook Islands
- , (2017), , IUCN Category VI.
New Zealand
- , 1981, , IUCN Category Ia.
- , 1975, , IUCN Category Ia.
- , 2014, , IUCN Category Ia.
- , 2014, , IUCN Category Ia.
- , 2011, , IUCN Category Ia.
- , 1992, , IUCN Category Ia.
Palau
South America
Chile
Ecuador
Grenada
Areas beyond national jurisdiction
To be integrated
- Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres australes françaises, (2017)
- , (2006),
- Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail, (2014),
- Pacific Remote Islands, (2009)
- South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Marine Protected Area, (2012),
- Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve, (2016),
References