Marine Protected Areas as tools in ecosystem-based fisheries management: Existing compatibility, objective misalignment, and potential for future shared objectives

Fisheries management in Europe requires ecosystem considerations in the regulation of fishing activities (European Commission, 2023/103). Europe also has other conservation objectives, focussed on protecting marine habitats and vulnerable species (Directive 2008/56/EC). Furthermore, a desire to prevent biodiversity loss has been expressed in pledges to protect and restore marine habitats (Regulation 2024/1991). In the context of these many objectives and legislative mechanisms, how are marine protected areas (MPAs) in Denmark and around Europe currently interacting with fisheries, how do the various fisheries regulations they impose align with their stated conservation objectives, and in what contexts might future MPAs be designed to incorporate fisheries objectives? These three questions are addressed using empirical data from an augmented, European wide database of MPAs, a comprehensive data call on fishing activities in MPAs, a specific case study of a Danish MPA in the Western Baltic Sea, the application of a systematic literature review on the impacts of different fishing activities, and a novel systematic review of spillover from MPAs. Findings show that currently, European MPAs are focussed on specific conservation goals, but the evidence that these objectives are ever achieved or improved upon is lacking. These MPAs are not established as fisheries management tools but often impose regulations on fishing activities. Even where fisheries regulations are in place, they often lead to no change in fishing behaviour, because of their implementation where there is low or no conflict with fisheries. Furthermore, while empirical studies of spillover from MPAs is sparse, we find that there are conditions under which spillover from MPAs could be a feasible objective. Such conditions include the MPA’s age, position relative to the coast, and relationship to an MPA network; as well as the life-histories and traits of the organisms of interest (e.g. broadcast spawning vs brooding, walking vs swimming). We conclude that the integration of conservation and Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management objectives in the planning and design of MPAs will both improve their efficacy and their acceptance as a management tool.