Conserving the Oceans

Conserving the Oceans documents a paradigm shift in global ocean conservation towards large marine protected areas (MPAs) that began in 2006, leading to millions of square kilometres of newly protected ocean space. The book reconciles how states have committed to these ambitious new protections while still being highly responsive to the interests of businesses. From the commercial fishing sector to ecotourism, businesses heavily influence conservation policy, occasionally leading to robust protections but more often than not to business-as-usual activity on the water. Ultimately, the book questions if we are still doing too little to prevent the worst impacts of the global environmental crisis despite the paradigm shift in global ocean conservation.