Conservation needs places where nature is left wild; but only a quarter of coastal countries have no-take Marine Reserves. ‘Marine Protected Areas’ (MPAs) have been used to indicate conservation progress but we found that 94% allow fishing and thus cannot protect all aspects of biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation should focus on Marine Reserves, not MPAs. 

Highlights

• Conservation of biodiversity in a natural condition requires no fishing.
• 94% of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) allow fishing.
• Most MPAs are about fishery management not conservation.
• Less than 1% of the ocean is in Marine Reserves (no-take MPAs).
• Less than 25% of coastal countries have Marine Reserves.
• Conservation of biodiversity should concentrate on Marine Reserves, not MPAs. 

But access is limited – which is a pity!

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169534715001639