Central Indian Ocean, Arabian Seas, East Africa and East Asian Seas

This publication provides a basis for development and implementation of a global system of marine protected areas (MPAs) to protect and manage representative examples of the world's rich marine biodiversity. It identifies priorities for establishing new marine protected areas and improving management of existing ones in each of the world's 18 major marine regions. One of the prime objectives of the report was to produce maps of the 18 bio-geographic regions into which the world has been divided. Shown in this report are the locations of existing MPAs, existing MPAs characterized as to national and regional priority for management strengthening, and proposed new MPAs of national priority or regional priority. General recommendations, based on an analysis of the 18 regional reports and a synthesis of their recommendations, address the need to 1) achieve integrated management of the marine environment; 2) ensure the application of science to management; 3) secure community support; 4) develop the human capacity to manage; 5) achieve a balance between planning, implementation, and evaluation; and 6) identify sources of funding.