Abstract

 http://doi.org/10.1002/9781119075806.ch6

Special emphasis is given to the socioeconomic aspects of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), as it is now widely recognized that MPAs must be designed to address social and economic considerations as well as conservation goals. This chapter reviews some of the main methodologies and conceptual frameworks used for MPA research and management which are useful for assessing the socioeconomic impacts of MPAs. It summarizes evidence arising from case studies of MPAs in the Mediterranean and Black Seas that resulted from the exchange of materials during the workshops, as a way of illustrating success stories. The chapter presents information provided by expert participants to a series of workshops in the European Union (EU) CoCoNet project, together with a review of published literature and unpublished documents provided by the participants. Finally, it focuses on the main requisites for successful MPA management in these regions.