Marine Protected Areas in the Southeast Region

Southeast Region

Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Saltwater Media Summit Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida October 17-19, 2012
Roy Crabtree, Regional Administrator

Overview: MPA Types

Habitat Areas of Particular Concern National Marine Sanctuaries Fishing Restricted Areas
Gear Restrictions Species Restrictions

No-Take Areas
Seasonal Year Round
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

Overview: MPA Objectives

Conservation
Protect Vulnerable Habitat Improve Stock Status (e.g., reduce fishing mortality, protect spawning aggregations)

Social and Economic

Minimize User Conflicts Enhance Recreational Opportunities Promote Good Market Conditions

Minimize Bycatch Research

Photo Credit: Captain Ben Fairey
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3

Examples
Gulf of Mexico reef fish bottom longline closure is designed to minimize sea turtle bycatch South Atlantic snapper-grouper MPAs are designed to improve sex, age and size structure of deepwater snapper grouper populations; additional MPAs currently being considered to further reduce bycatch of speckled hind and warsaw grouper U.S. Caribbean reef fish seasonal no-take areas are designed to end and prevent overfishing
Photo Credit: NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4

Gulf of Mexico Finfish MPAs

Gulf of Mexico Year-Round No-Take MPAs

South Atlantic Finfish MPAs

South Atlantic Year-Round No-Take MPAs

U.S. Caribbean Finfish MPAs

U.S. Caribbean No-Take MPAs

Challenges
Balancing Tradeoffs Monitoring Performance Enforcing Regulations
Photo Credit: Captain Ben Fairey

Understanding how localized benefits translate at the regional scale

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11

Questions?