There’s a new way to access marine protected area (MPA) and marine managed area (MMA) information focused on ease of use for marine users, policymakers, and the conservation community. Available online, ProtectedSeas provides an interactive online map of marine protected and managed areas for marine and coastal areas, including the Baltic States, Norway, North America, the Caribbean, much of the Pacific Islands, and the High Seas.
ProtectedSeas provides one-click access to detailed MPA and MMA information including restricted activities, regulation and management resources, links to official publications, and more. Users can explore detailed information on what protections are actually in place in each MPA. ProtectedSeas also includes key restrictions for each State’s waters in their Exclusive Economic Zones and Territorial Seas.
Baltic Region
Klåverön MPA in Sweden
ProtectedSeas’ work has been recognized via a public-private partnership with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Protected Areas Center, which supported the team’s effort in completing the U.S. map and continues to support their global expansion. In 2017, ProtectedSeas created the first ever high seas map with all marine managed areas beyond national jurisdiction with associated management measures.
The ProtectedSeas mapping project began in 2015 with the goal of becoming a one-stop resource for ocean users to find out not only where MPAs are located, but also which activities are restricted. It provides area-specific information for over 25 different activities, such as where fishing, anchoring, diving, and other activities are allowed or restricted, and includes activity restriction indicators for several selected fishing methods. By making this information available for free online and working with nautical charting companies to include MPA information on boating navigation maps, ProtectedSeas hopes to improve awareness and compliance with the protection measures of these special places so critical to ocean health.
ProtectedSeas is a proud cosponsor of the 2019 Our Ocean Youth Summit.
