A General Business Model for Marine-Protected Areas

Marine protected areas have traditionally been perceived by many as a sacrifice that only benefits marine life inside their boundaries and harms fishing communities. However, that perception was not based in real data. A growing body of scientific and economic studies show that marine protected areas, and especially no-take marine reserves, provide sustainable economic benefits to local communities, through enhanced fishing and economic alternatives such as tourism. Here I will present a general business model for marine reserves and discuss how to scale up small success stories to help achieve global marine conservation targets.