Tamara Xu Hwei Darbar

The number of designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the UK and globally is growing; driven by increasing concern about the biodiversity crisis and a globally agreed protection target of 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. However, there are major gaps in knowledge and practice that result in tokenistic, ineffective, or inequitable MPAs. 

This doctoral research will critically review and build understanding the measures of MPA effectiveness to provide lessons for future designated MPAs by employing ‘explanatory’ case studies and a Delphi study using expert elicitation. In order to fill these gaps, this project will draw from interdisciplinary expertise and address the following: 

• Which approaches to MPA management are being utilised across a range of different contexts? What are the key learnings from these and do they reflect best practice/theory?

• How can performance indicators effectively measure a combination of ecological outcomes and social benefits to demonstrate conservation success?