There is just one global ocean, and it connects us all. MPAs can help protect our oceans and marine resources, but are even more effective when they work across state, federal and international boundaries to collaborate on shared challenges and opportunities.
The United States has developed a national system of marine protected areas (MPAs) to connect and strengthen the nation's MPAs and MPA programs.
IUCN defines an MPA network as: "A collection of individual MPAs operating cooperatively and synergistically at various spatial scales and with a range of protection levels that are designed to meet objectives that a single reserve cannot achieve."
The ocean is an interconnected and dynamic system that spans geographic boundaries, so effective marine conservation requires a collective global effort.
The MPA Center hosts periodic meetings and conference calls for federal, state, territorial and tribal MPA program managers and staff to share information across programs.
Marine Protected Areas