Australia's no-take marine protected areas: Appropriate conservation or inappropriate management of fishing?

► The utility of Australia's marine 'protected' areas is examined. ► Use of inappropriate fishery data to justify the benefits of MPAs is criticised. ► Where fishing is well managed the need for no-take zones is questioned. ► No-take marine protected areas are a blunt fishery management tool. ► The suite of known marine-environment threats is not managed by MPAs.