Strictly protected areas play a key role in preserving biodiversity. In which areas should the zones of strict protection in the sea be placed? How many of them should there be, what size, what shape, and how far should they be from each other? How to manage them?

The answers to these questions were provided by studies conducted on approximately 150 strictly protected areas around the world, with proven significant positive effects of protection. The conclusions of the studies formed the basis for the adoption of the  EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the EU guidelines for its implementation.

What should be covered by strictly protected areas?

It is necessary to protect various aspects of the marine environment and the life that inhabits it in order to ensure the smooth running of natural ecosystem processes. When choosing areas where strictly protected areas will be established, it is necessary to:

• ensure the representation of all habitat types and, consequently, the representation of strictly protected areas on both offshore and inshore areas;
• include habitats that provide important ecosystem services and whose conservation is a priority at the EU level;
• include Posidonia meadows because of their importance, especially in climate change mitigation;
• include areas where populations of rare, endangered, and protected species live, in particular, those that are important at their most sensitive stages of the life cycle;
• include particularly well-known locations of hatcheries, nurseries, and feeding grounds for fish;
• protect good fishing grounds or those with good recovery potential.

How to determine the locations and boundaries of strictly protected area?

The highest efficiency of strictly protected areas is achieved by the correct design of their size and placement. International experience provides the following guidelines for achieving the maximum impact of protection:

• 10-30% of the total area should be exempted from fishing;
• the size of the individual strictly protected area should not be smaller than 0.5 km2. Globally, 50% of these zones have an area of less than 4 km2, and in Europe less than 2 km2;
• to preserve species that have a large range of movement, it is necessary to protect larger areas;
• it is important to establish a network of strictly protected areas. The zones should be 10-20 km apart in order to achieve the greatest effect, i.e. to ensure connectivity by distributing larvae of fish and other organisms;
• in the case where the strictly protected area is part of a larger protected area, it should be placed in its middle, not in the peripheral part;
• it is necessary to enable better control and greater efficiency by establishing a buffer zone around the strictly protected areas, in which human activities are not completely prohibited but are additionally regulated;
• when setting boundaries, it is necessary to use as many natural landmarks as possible, positions and shapes that ensure ease of control.

How to manage strictly protected areas?

The proclamation of strictly protected areas is just the beginning, because after their establishment these areas should also be successfully managed in order to achieve the desired protection goals. Past experience has also brought key guidelines for the management of strictly protected areas. It is necessary to:

• involve stakeholders and the local community in the process of establishing protection and in the subsequent management;
• ensure transparency and timeliness of the process;
• establish permanent protection through unambiguous and enforceable regulatory documents;
• establish and carry out regular surveillance, including during the night;
• define clear protection objectives and establish mechanisms to monitor the achievement of these objectives;
• conduct regular monitoring and stakeholder reporting on the effects of protection;
• be aware that nature takes time to recover –on average the effects of protection are visible after five years of effective implementation on average.

Properly located and managed, these areas can achieve significant positive effects in preserving the marine ecosystem. The involvement of all relevant stakeholders, transparency, clearly defined objectives, and patience to achieve results are fundamental steps in achieving effective protection and all the benefits that come from it.

We invite you to join our campaign Sea Full of Life and support the establishment of strictly protected areas in the Adriatic Sea. Your awareness of the importance of these protection measures is essential for preserving the biodiversity of the Adriatic Sea for future generations.

References:
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-01/SWD_guidance_protected_areas.pdf
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1590574123338&uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0380
https://www.piscoweb.org/science-marine-reserves