Meeting Aichi Target 11: Equity considerations in Marine Protected Areas design

There is an increasing recognition that marine and coastal ecosystems are under severe threat. The implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has become a cornerstone in addressing these impacts. The formulation of the Aichi Target (AT) 11 has acknowledged the benefits of MPAs as a vital approach to achieve marine conservation targets. In the AT 11, reference to the term “equitably managed” has demonstrated the importance of equity in the planning and management of MPAs and in this paper, a description of how equity should be considered from the inception stage is detailed. Two case studies, one in Japan and the other in the Solomon Islands, were chosen because they include equity considerations from the inception and were successful in reaching their conservation targets. Through these two case studies, it is demonstrated that understanding the objectives and expectations of all stakeholders can help achieve the qualitative goals of the AT 11. This is particularly true for local and indigenous communities in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal communities in developing countries. Finally, a set of recommendations has been provided to address possible limitations that could arise during the MPA design exercise. Participatory area management and spatial and temporal zoning can help by ensuring that benefits and costs are distributed equitably between stakeholders.