The effectiveness index (SW14) would be most useful
"paper parks," lacking any regulatory compliance,
and reliable if a standardized method and indicators
monitoring and enforcement.
were applied throughout the MAR. Changes in
At the site level, effectiveness evaluations serve to
effectiveness could be tracked, and comparisons
inform management, improve project planning, and
could be made. The influence of factors such as MPA
promote accountability. At the pooled regional scale
size or management approach on effectiveness could
of this indicator, effectiveness summaries can serve
be evaluated.
as a tool for national managers and conservation
An alternative approach for conducting a basic
planners to track progress across the MPA network
synthesis of management-effectiveness evaluations
as a whole.
performed using different methodologies considers
How Do We Measure It?
each of the three main fields (biophysical, socio-
economic, governance) independently, since some
Marine area within MPAs (SW13) is calculated as
methodologies include only the governance field.
the area of territorial seas under protection divided
The scores within each field can be averaged among
by the total territorial-seas area, multiplied by 100
all the MPAs within the group (country or region) to
(for expression as a percentage). Protected area is
develop index values. A recent MSc thesis reviewed
determined by GIS calculation of the area within MPAs,
MPA management effectiveness methods applied in
(here, as determined by a WWF/MAR Fund Regional
the MAR and attempted to synthesize the results from
Marine and Coastal Protected Areas Database40 and
different methodologies into a more general index for
validated by the MPA Global database36). Total area of
each country42. The main conclusion of this effort
territorial seas for each country (i.e., the potential area
was that there is a critical need for application of a
that could be included within MPAs) is taken as defined
standardized methodology in the region.
by the Global Marine Boundaries Database (GMBD)36.
(Also see Appendix 3 for more information.)
Status
Quantifying MPA effectiveness (SW14) is a bit more
The total area of territorial seas with the Mesoamerican
complex. More than 25 different methods have been
Reef region is 64,154 km2. Of this total, 8% is currently
developed to evaluate MPA management effectiveness
protected.
across the globe. In the MAR region, five methods have
been applied, and new evaluation models continue to
There are 32 MPAs in the region (not including
be developed (e.g., Belize National Protected Areas
coastal or terrestrial protected areas): six in full
System Plan and Policy Project)41.
management phase, 15 in consolidation phase (i.e.,
under management, but still acquiring necessary
These methodologies all differ significantly in terms
equipment, staff and funds) and 11 in start-up phase
of the comprehensiveness of their major assessment
(i.e., not yet managed, or with only initial management
fields (e.g., biophysical, socioeconomic, governance
efforts)40. See Appendix 3 for a summary of Coastal
fields) and the comprehensiveness of the indicators
and Marine Protected Areas in the MAR.
within each field. Of the five methods applied to date
in the MAR, 29 potential indicators were common to
these methodologies. However, few of these indicators
were actually employed in the evaluations, making it
Marine area
difficult to compare the results at the level of specific
Territorial
Percent
protected
indicators42.
sea (km2)
protected
(km2)
Usefulness
Mexico
19,454
1,972
10%
The percentage of marine area under protection (SW13)
Belize
18,848
2,542
13%
provides a quick, basic assessment of our progress
Guatemala
1,565
10
1%
in the fundamental step of MPA establishment. This
Honduras
24,287
612
3%
indicator should eventually be refined to include a
consideration of whether all key habitats, ecological
MAR Total
64,154
5,136
8%
processes and adequate connectivity are being
Data Source36,40,42
preserved.
SW
SW
13
14
155