Multiple Use Marine Protected Areas as Complex Commons

Abstract

"Since the 1970s conservation generally has become more participatory, particularly with regards to local communities. The new paradigm of inclusivity in protected areas calls for the devolution of power, the embracement of uncertainty, and the legitimization of local knowledge and values, many of the principles of successful commons management. Increasingly there is an essential affinity between the commons and protected areas. This is particularly so in those new IUCN categories V and VI which have introduced the concept of multiple-use as an integral part of their management. In the 2003 UN list of protected areas, these categories accounted for nearly 30% of the total protected area worldwide. The increasing popularity of IUCN category V and VI protected areas is magnified in the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These categories account for over half of the total protected marine area. In addition, closer analysis of examples of the other MPA categories reveals that many of these areas are zoned, hence one could in argue that most MPAs show some form of multiple use regardless of the IUCN category designated. As recreational time increases, the marine and coastal region becomes more important as the worlds greatest tourist attraction. Traditional users, such as artisanal fishermen, are being pushed towards the periphery of management of these regions. The designation of an MPA can be used to reinstall common property rights to traditional users for sustainable management of these regions. Creating management to develop these resources sustainably is becoming critical. This paper provides an example of the use of the common pool theory lens for the investigation of MPA development in a case study in Croatia. We conclude that the use of commons research can provide insights into the development of MPA institutions for the future management of coastal and marine resources."