Marine & Aquatic

Marine Protected Areas and Wildlife Welfare: Sanctuary Effects

Marine protected areas benefit wildlife welfare by reducing fishing pressure, noise and disturbance. Understanding the welfare benefits of MPAs helps make the case for expanded protection.

Key Facts

No-take MPAs allow fish populations to recover from chronic fishing stress
Animals in protected areas show lower stress hormone levels in some studies
Reduced noise pollution in MPAs benefits cetacean communication and navigation
Fish in MPAs grow larger and live longer, suggesting better lifetime welfare
Spill-over effects from MPAs benefit adjacent unprotected areas over time
Only around 2.7% of the ocean has fully protected no-take status

Welfare Considerations

Marine protected areas provide welfare benefits by reducing the chronic stressors of fishing, noise and disturbance experienced by marine animals. Animals in well-enforced MPAs can complete more of their natural behaviours, live longer and experience fewer acute welfare incidents from fishing gear. Expanding MPA coverage, and ensuring effective enforcement of existing areas, is an evidence-based strategy for improving marine animal welfare at scale.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for expanded marine protected area coverage worldwide
Advocate for effective enforcement of existing MPA regulations
Choose seafood from certified sustainable fisheries that respect MPA boundaries
Encourage government commitments to the 30x30 ocean protection target