Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) valuing marine biodiversity & ecosystems

for the Blue Economy

Photo credit: Frédéric Basmayousse

Dr Samantha Burgess

Public hearing for the Committee on Fisheries

9th November 2016

Value of the ocean economy

On a global scale…

Destroying the ocean economy

MPAs improve ocean health

Actions to secure our ocean assets

The economic case for expanding MPAs

WWF: MPAs – Smart Investments in Ocean Health, 2015

The state of MPAs in European Seas

From: Marine Protected Areas in European Seas, EEA 2015

WWF: Scorecard 2016: Marine Protected Areas in the Baltic, Nov 2016

Emergence of policy on Blue Economy is happening against a backdrop of massive growth

WWF: Blue Growth in the Mediterranean Sea, 2015

Relative size today (GDP)

Shipping and Transport

Seabed mining

Wild catch fisheries

Aquaculture

Offshore oil and gas

Tourism

Offshore windExpected size 2030

(rough estimates

for illustration only)

> 4%

yearGlobal

trade

Interactions between sectors & areas of conservation interest

Key messages

• MPAs are essential for a sustainable blue economy

• Integrated ocean governance requires an ecologically coherent network of MPAs in addition to regional marine planning to protect marine biodiversity & deliver a sustainable blue economy

• WWF have developed a comprehensive set of principles for a Sustainable Blue Economy to achieve effective governance & future actions