Governing Marine Protected Areas

"There are many books on how to design and create marine protected areas (MPAs), so vital for ocean conservation, but few on how to make them successful. This book plugs that crucial gap, distilling experience from across the world into sound and creative advice."– Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation, University of York, UK.

"The issue of governance is addressed in this book in a novel and important way. Through the lens of his review of a large number of MPA case studies, Jones makes the case for diversity and complexity in the governance of MPAs, which are themselves ecologically diverse and complex. This is a signal achievement which should greatly advance both policy and practice." – Bonnie J. McCay, Distinguished Professor, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, USA.

"There is a lot of scattered information about the value of MPAs, but we need a book that makes sense of all this information, informs us on how to make the best of the MPAs we have, and reviews why we need more. Dr. Jones’ is that book." – Daniel Pauly, Professor of Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Canada.

"MPAs are mystifyingly prone to failure. Using a robust case study analysis approach, Jones clearly demonstrates a broad variety of ways to achieve management-to-scale via different governance arrangements, in order to harness the significant potential of MPAs in achieving conservation and sustainable use objectives." – Tundi Agardy, Executive Director, Sound Seas, Author of Ocean Zoning: Making Marine Management More Effective (Earthscan, 2010).

"This book addresses the challenges of implementing and effectively managing MPAs for narrower habitat protection. It also places MPAs in the broader context in terms of both governance and ecological theories. These issues are addressed in a novel, thorough and trans-disciplinary way. This is an important contribution to the field of marine conservation and natural resource management." – Richard Kenchington, Professor, Ecosystem and Resource Management, Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong, Australia.

"Peter Jones examines a very timely topic: governing marine MPAs within nations’ waters. He sees the big picture and the diversity of details that governments and stakeholders need to shape if MPAs are to benefit biodiversity and people. Read this book!" – Elliott Norse, Founder and Chief Scientist, Marine Conservation Institute, Seattle, USA.

"Here is a book that deals with governance of a natural system for purposes of resilience. It is really worth reading!" – C.S. Holling, Arthur R. Marshall Jr. Chair in Ecological Sciences, Department of Zoology, University of Florida, USA

"Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs — ocean zones limiting human activity — cover little more than 2% of the world’s oceans, despite an internationally agreed target of 10% by 2020. And thousands of those that do exist are little more than ‘paper parks’, many scientists have found. Entering these choppy waters is geographer Peter Jones, who shows, through some 20 case studies, how and how not to govern MPAs effectively. Jones compellingly concludes that a diversity of incentives, from economic to social, is as essential as the diversity of the ecosystems MPAs are designed to protect." - Nature, 20 March 2014

"The book draws upon an interesting range of examples from around the globe and it could attract a wide readership from amongst those interested in the management of marine protected areas from the perspective of national law." – The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law, James Harrison, University of Edinburgh

"Jones' familiarity with the management structure of so many different reserves makes his book refreshingly clear-sighted about what he calls ‘governance challenges'… Jones' solution is a ‘balancing act' in which the strong hand of the state, the ‘invisible hand' of the market and the ‘democratic hands' of the people are effectively combined… Jones' book is rich in foreign examples which those who care about marine protection's future in the UK would do well to ponder." - Horatio Morpurgo, campaigner and author on marine conservation issues in SW England, in a Special Report of the Ecologist.