New Science Advances paper: Global MPA Spillover Benefits to Recreational Fisheries

This graph illustrates the cumulative records of trophy-size fish catches over time in five different Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The open (white) circles represent records within 0-100km from the MPA boundary, while the dark (black) circles represent records between 100-200km from the MPA boundary. The vertical dark-blue dashed lines indicate when fishing protection was implemented within the MPAs. After the MPAs were established, there is a noticeable increase in the number of record-sized fish caught near the MPAs. This is consistent with the MPA providing a spillover of record-sized fish into adjacent, fished areas. (Photo credit: Franceschini et al. and Nancy Hulbirt, SOEST Illustrations, UH Mānoa)

We're thrilled to announce our latest research, published in Science Advances, titled "A Global Test of MPA Spillover Benefits to Recreational Fisheries." This groundbreaking study offers the first global assessment of the benefits of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for recreational anglers, confirming their effectiveness in enhancing fish biomass and supporting local fisheries.

Building on the pioneering work of Callum Roberts and his team, who discovered two decades ago that trophy fish catches near MPAs in Florida significantly increased between 12-30 years after establishment, our research shows that highly-protected marine ecosystems produce real, long-term benefits for recreational fishers. This creates a win-win situation for both nature and people.

Our findings provide essential, evidence-based guidance for the future of MPAs and the global "30×30" conservation initiative, which aims to protect 30% of the world's lands, oceans, and freshwater by 2030.

For more details, check out the full article here.

We also had the privilege to discuss our research on The Conversation.

Our work has been featured on Science Daily and Honolulu Civil Beat.