Study finds global marine protection far below 30% target and largely ineffective

An Australian-led analysis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences evaluated 552 shallow-reef MPAs worldwide, comparing fish abundance inside and outside protected zones. The authors found that fewer than one-quarter of MPAs achieve their intended outcomes, implying that meaningful protection covers less than 2% of oceanic habitats. This stark contrast with the 9.8% figure.

The study links the failure largely to inadequate fishing bans, low compliance, and rampant illegal fishing. It cautions that without heightened enforcement and public awareness, the 30-by-30 ambition set by the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will remain out of reach. The researchers stress that counting protected area percentages without measuring ecological results is as ineffective as setting carbon-reduction targets without tracking emissions.