Marine Protected Area
Definition
A marine protected area (MPA) is a designated region of ocean where human activities such as fishing, mining, and shipping are restricted to conserve marine biodiversity. MPAs are an increasingly important tool for penguin conservation because they can safeguard critical foraging habitat and reduce bycatch. The Ross Sea MPA, established in 2016 and covering 1.55 million square kilometres, protects key feeding grounds for Adelie and emperor penguins. However, many penguin foraging zones remain outside protected areas.
Related Terms
Bycatch is the unintentional capture of non-target species in commercial fishing operations.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of plant and animal species, maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Conservation status is a classification assigned to a species based on its extinction risk, most commonly using the IUCN Red List categories: Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, and Extinct.
Related Species
Species where marine protected area is especially relevant.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does marine protected area mean in penguin biology?
A marine protected area (MPA) is a designated region of ocean where human activities such as fishing, mining, and shipping are restricted to conserve marine biodiversity. MPAs are an increasingly important tool for penguin conservation because they can safeguard critical foraging habitat and reduce bycatch. The Ross Sea MPA, established in 2016 and covering 1.55 million square kilometres, protects key feeding grounds for Adelie and emperor penguins. However, many penguin foraging zones remain outside protected areas.