Marine protected areas (MPAs) and freshwater protected areas (FPAs) share many commonalities in their design, establishment and management, suggesting great potential for sharing lessons learned. However, surprisingly little has been exchanged to date, and both realms of inquiry and practice have progressed mostly independent of each other. Both MPAs and FPAs, collectively Aquatic Protected Areas (APAs), are frequently used as community fisheries management tools to support the sustainability of small-scale fisheries. In a transdisciplinary effort to explore crossover lessons between marine and freshwater realms, a team of researchers synthesized case studies of four MPAs and five FPAs (or clusters of FPAs) from nine countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Chile, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, and the United States. This presentation explores similarities, differences, and transferable lessons between MPAs and FPAs under five themes: 1) ecological system; 2) establishment approaches; 3) effectiveness monitoring; 4) sustaining APAs; and 5) challenges and external threats. In particular, the findings indicate many similarities around the human dimension of both MPA and FPA establishment and management, which highlight clear opportunities for exchanging lessons related to stakeholder engagement and community support. Additionally, similar socioeconomic and governance assessment methods could be used to address gaps in effectiveness data in both realms. Continued exchange between MPAs and FPAs, as well as increased transdisciplinary collaboration would benefit both realms, and practitioners could work together to address shared challenges, such as developing mechanisms for diversified and sustained funding, and employing integrated coastal/watershed management to address system-level threats.

1. Salty Stories, Fresh Spaces: Lessons for
Aquatic Protected Areas from Marine and
Freshwater Experiences
Erin Loury, Shaara Ainsley, Shannon Bower, Ratana Chuenpagdee,
Tracy Farrell, Amanda Guthrie, Sokrith Heng, Zau Lunn, Abdullah Al
Mamun, Rodrigo Oyanedel, Steve Rocliffe, Suvaluck Satumanatpan,
and Steven Cooke
3rd World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress
Chiang Mai, Thailand

2. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Marine Protected Areas + Freshwater Protected
Areas = Aquatic Protected Areas (APAs)
• Many commonalities in
design, establishment and
management
• Surprisingly little exchange
to date
• Great potential to share
ideas and lessons learned

3. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Group Effort: 13 Researches Synthesized Case
Studies from 9 Countries
Madagascar
Chile Cambodia
Myanmar
Thailand
United States
LaosBangladesh
Mexico
Marine Protected Areas Freshwater Protected Areas

4. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
5 Themes Synthesized in Aquatic Conservation
(Loury et al. 2017)
1) Ecological system
2) Establishment
approaches
3) Effectiveness monitoring
4) Sustaining APAs
5) Challenges and external
threats

5. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Findings: Ecological System
• Obvious differences between marine
and freshwater environments
• However, spatial planning is
important for both realms – possible
to share tools
• Possible to coordinate protected
areas for diadromous fish that use
both marine and freshwater habitats
(salmon, eels, etc.)

6. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Findings: Establishment Approaches
• Stakeholder engagement is
key, needed from the
beginning
• Co-management is a useful
model in both realms, but
legal authority is needed
• Zoning for multiple uses
can help ensure access to
resources

7. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Findings: Effectiveness Monitoring
• Long-term monitoring more
recognized for MPAs
• Fewer resources for
freshwater
• New monitoring guidebook
for freshwater protected
areas in Laos seeks to
address this need (coming
spring 2019)

8. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Findings: Effectiveness Monitoring
• Greater emphasis on biological
monitoring in both realms
• Data gaps for socioeconomic
and governance monitoring
• Similar methods (surveys,
interviews, etc.), can be used for
socioeconomic and governance
monitoring in both realms

9. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Findings: Sustaining APAs
• Need to identify finance
mechanisms for APAs in the
global context
• Disconnect between long-
term management goals and
short-term funding cycles
• Can help communities
diversify sources of income
(more marine examples)

10. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Findings: Challenges and External Threats
• Similar threats and challenges,
across realms (development and
human activities, poverty)
• Integrated management at a
watershed level doesn’t have to
stop at the coast, can but include
MPAs
• Need to address needs of local
communities (alternative
livelihoods, improved market
access, etc.)

11. Hydropower
(Flow)
Hatchery
Harvest
Habitat
Bridging Marine and Freshwater Realms
• Many similarities suggest opportunities for collaboration
and exchanging experiences
• Adopt shared, inclusive terminology, such as “Aquatic
Protected Areas”
• Pursue cross-disciplinary conferences and workshops,
inclusive journal articles, collaborative networks and joint
committees.

12. Thank You!
erinloury@fishbio.com