Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have gained more and more prominence in tackling the common-good provision problem in marine fisheries. Today, around 2.07 percent of global ocean and 5.27 percent in national jurisdictions (Exclusive Economic Zones) are designated as MPAs – tendency increasing for the next years.

But how does the designation of a marine area into a protected zone affect the behavior fishers being active there? A recent article of a colleague of mine examines this effect. They find that MPAs intensify cooperation and competition among fishers and that these behavioral effects, under special circumstances, can lead to better conservation of marine resources. You can find the article here and the Washington Post feature on it.

 

Photo Credits: Photo “Salmon Fishermen in the Mist” by Linda Tanner subject to creative common license.