Marine protected areas conserve ocean ecosystems but their establishment and enforcement has welfare implications for both wildlife and human fishing communities.
Marine protected area welfare is primarily about what the protection achieves for resident wildlife. Fully protected areas with effective enforcement show recovery of fish populations, reduced fishing gear entanglement for marine mammals, and improved habitat quality. Poorly enforced MPAs provide little real protection while restricting community fishing access — a welfare and justice failure. The welfare benefit of effective MPAs extends beyond target species to the entire ecosystem of animals they protect.