Avoiding and reversing "paper parks": integrating fishers' compliance into marine conservation efforts

Fishers' compliance with marine protected areas (MPAs) is critical for their effectiveness, yet noncompliance threatens conservation efforts. This study reveals that illegal fishing in Cocos Island National Park is predictable in space and time, allowing for optimized patrol strategies to curb violations. The research identifies detection-avoidance tactics used by fishers and proposes countermeasures, while also highlighting factors that enhance compliance, such as multiple livelihoods, effective enforcement, regulated fishing, user involvement, and smaller MPA size. By integrating compliance management into conservation interventions, this work offers practical tools to reverse the 'paper park' phenomenon, where protected areas fail due to lack of adherence.

Arias, A. (2016). Avoiding and reversing "paper parks": integrating fishers' compliance into marine conservation efforts [James Cook University]. https://doi.org/10.25903/R500-BP97