Only 4 percent of the ocean lies within marine protected areas (MPAs), according to a University of British Columbia study.

In the findings published in the journal Oryx, UBC Institute for Ocean and Fisheries researchers revealed that major swaths of the ocean must still be protected to reach even the most basic global targets, which is at least 10 percent.

Nearly 200 countries set this target under the United Nations’ Aichi Targets during a 2010 meeting in Nagoya, Japan. To stem the rapid loss of biodiversity, representatives from these countries committed to reach their target by 2020.

“The targets call for much more than just 10 percent protection. They require that protected areas be effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected, all of which will help to ensure that MPAs contribute to more than percentage targets and meet the goal of conserving biodiversity,” said lead author Lisa Boonzaier.

In addition to creating more MPAs, Boonzaier said countries need to improve the protection they afford biodiversity to by coming up with a greater percentage of the “no-take” MPAs. “No-take” MPAs refer to zones where extracting any resource is prohibited. This includes living resources such as fish, crustaceans and seaweed as well as non-living resources such as oil and gas. Currently, only 0.5 percent of the global ocean is designated as "no take."

“Given the creation of very large marine protected areas in recent years, notably through the Global Ocean Legacy Project of the Pew Charitable Trusts, there is a chance that the Aichi Targets can be reached, which would be a major achievement,” said Daniel Pauly, the study’s co-author and a professor at the Institute for Ocean and Fisheries.

Founded in 2006, Global Ocean Legacy works with local communities, governments and scientists around the world to protect and conserve some of the most important and unspoiled ocean environments. It aims to establish the world’s first generation of great marine parks by securing the designation of large, fully protected reserves. By 2022, Global Ocean Legacy seeks to create 15 great parks in the sea, all at least 200,000 square kilometres.

The project takes inspiration from the Yellowstone National Park, which was established in 1872. According to Global Ocean Legacy, it not only ensured protection for one of the most spectacular landscapes in the U.S.; it was the beginning of a new way of thinking about protecting the environment, including the oceans.

According to Global Ocean Legacy, research shows that very large, fully protected marine reserves are key to rebuilding species abundance and diversity and protecting the overall health of the marine environment.

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