Marine protected areas (MPAs) are established for the conservation of natural or cultural resources.. These areas are managed by all levels of government, and are established for various protective purposes - for example, to preserve shipwrecks, to protect kelp forests, or to sustain fishery production. Some areas are more restrictive; marine reserves do not allow fishing of any kind, while our National Parks are designed for recreation, and other MPAs were put in place to keep fisheries healthy. Almost all MPAs in the United States are designed for multiple uses, including fishing, diving, boating and surfing. There are currently more than 1700 MPAs in US waters, many of which are on the West Coast. NOAA has designed a Marine Protected Areas Inventory to locate MPAs near you.
MPA Map Source: NOAA
Headline Photo Source: Roger Harris, The Oceanic Society
Headline Photo Source: Roger Harris, The Oceanic Society