A Guide to Surveillance and Enforcement of Regulations in Mediterranean MPAs

MPAs are established by law but often lack the necessary capacities and resources to enforce this law. This hampers the capacity of the MPA to reach its objectives, and contributes to losing social credibility and stakeholder collaboration.

Although marine surveillance is necessary, it is usually the most expensive management activity in an MPA. It is not generally considered the most important factor for good enforcement, since there are many other complementary activities that contribute significantly.

Aim of the tool

The Guide aims to support MPA managers in improving surveillance and enforcement of regulations in MPAs. As such, its intention is to be a practical resource document for MPA managers.

Main objectives

The objective of this Guide is to provide fundamental elements for analysis and recommendations to improve surveillance and enforcement in MPAs. It should help them identify their needs and maximise the efficiency of their actions, adapting to different situations in particular in cases of low human resources and financial capacities in particular.

Technological infrastructure

Although there are no strict technological requirements to use this Guide and to implement its proposed actions, some technological requirements may be required for some of the recommendations. For example, the use of an internet connection and the necessary software for website management, and online reservation of mooring buoys. In addition, the Guide recommends the use of available technologies that help to reduce surveillance costs and staff needs, such as AIS, Wimax, tetra, VTMIS, radar, geo-referenced cameras, drones and night vision devices.

Training

No specific training is necessary to follow the recommendations provided in this Guide. However, in terms of surveillance and law enforcement, capacity building is fundamental to keep a high level of interest in MPA agents for what they are doing. For example, involving them in scientific monitoring motivates them and helps them develop sensitivity to issues, thereby increasing their overall efficiency.

Investment

Marine surveillance is usually the most expensive management activity in an MPA. To help mitigate the high costs involved in surveillance at sea, land-based methods are proposed such as patrolling from the beach and the use of specific technological equipment.

Concept

This Guide presents and discusses best practices and lessons learnt regarding MPA surveillance and enforcement and focuses on the following specific topics: political support, legal development and MPA regulation, institutional and operational coordination, monitoring and control of activities, surveillance patrols, sanctions and prosecuting, voluntary compliance, and information and communication. For each topic, recommendations are proposed. Case studies are also presented to illustrate the successful application of the proposed actions.

Moreover, this Guide includes a decision-support matrix, listing key questions to help determine the strategy, needs and priorities in terms of enforcing regulations. After filling in the matrix, it may be necessary to conduct a SWOT or a DPSIR analysis, identify priorities to develop a realistic calendar, list and approach potential collaborators, establish specific indicators and expected results, and review progress once a year.

This Guide is mainly focused on the marine aspects, but does include land-based activities related to surveillance and compliance at sea, (e.g. public accesses, beach services, fish landings, beach and harbour infrastructures, patrolling of the marine area from land and so on).

Pilot areas

The recommendations included in this Guide address the practical experience of several Mediterranean MPAs, which participated in a 2013 experience exchange workshop of the MedPAN network, devoted to monitoring and enforcement of regulations in Mediterranean MPAs. This workshop was in turn, based on a study of the “Surveillance and the enforcement of regulations in Marine Protected Areas in the Mediterranean” which focused on identifying regional level gaps, best practices, needs and strengths with a view to strengthen the capacity of Mediterranean MPAs in this domain. The study was based on the responses of 54 MPA managers across 15 Mediterranean countries. The results of the study are included in this guide.

Recommended timeline of implementation

No specific timeline is required to implement the recommended actions of this Guide. The decision support matrix, which guides managers to assess their needs, priorities and objectives, should be integrated in the process of elaborating or revising the MPA management plan.

The Guide proposes recommendations on how to address and solve each of the identified problems, including a description of possible challenges that may arise. More generally, the successful engagement and collaboration of various stakeholders in MPAs has shown to be a key factor for the successful implementation of surveillance and enforcement.

Quantitative results

It is expected that applying these recommendations and best practices in Mediterranean MPAs, will improve surveillance and law enforcement capacity, which in turn will help reach their conservation and sustainable development objectives.

Key deliverables

Key deliverables are knowledge and know-how to improve the surveillance and the enforcement of regulations in MPAs.

Transfer potential

The best practices and recommendations can be implemented in all Mediterranean MPAs. In particular, the decision-support matrix is adapted to the Mediterranean context; it is an operational tool that points out recommendations which may apply to everyone, including both consolidated, and newly-established MPAs.

• In the Gökova MPA in Turkey, the lack of surveillance resulted in poaching and local community distrust. Conversely, the well-known co-managed fisheries reserve in Os Miñarzos (Spain) had good results for biodiversity and for fishermen for years, that is until surveillance was reduced due to budget constraints, which led to conflicts, the immediate return of illegal activities and a deep social distrust.

• In a questionnaire answered by 54 MPA managers from 15 Mediterranean countries, managers indicated the most frequent infringements of their MPA regulations as coming from recreational fishermen (87%), artisanal-professional fishermen (82%), marine users from outside the MPA (68%), marine-based tourism operators (66%) and land-based offences affecting marine ecosystems (53%).

• The main causes for the offences committed in Mediterranean MPAs relate to: ignorance or misinformation (33%), economic interest (32%), weak surveillance (29%), weak enforcement (26%) and general opposition to the MPA (8%).