RMIP – Marine Reserves of Fisheries Interest

Context

Continued pressure on marine and coastal environments has contributed to habitat degradation, biodiversity loss and declines in certain fish stocks. In this context, Marine Reserves of Fisheries Interest (RMIP) are an important tool for supporting the recovery of marine resources and promoting sustainable fishing through different levels of protection and regulation of activities.

The Network of Marine Reserves of Fisheries Interest comprises 12 areas covering 105,243 hectares, of which 10,162 hectares are designated as no-take zones. Their management relies on surveillance and enforcement, scientific monitoring and public awareness activities, and requires regular assessment of the measures implemented.

To ensure their effectiveness, it is essential to review and update the protocols used to collect and verify information on fishing activities, other authorised uses, and various biological, physical, chemical and environmental parameters. This review must take account of scientific and methodological advances, as well as new regulatory requirements and the ecosystem approach to fisheries management.

Objectives

The main objective of the project is to assess whether the monitoring, evaluation and control measures implemented in Marine Reserves of Fisheries Interest contribute to the sustainable management of fisheries resources, taking an ecosystem-based approach.

To achieve this, the project will:

• Review the regulatory framework, scientific evidence and recent approaches to marine reserve management and assessment.
• Analyse existing and emerging methods for assessing the effectiveness of management measures.
• Assess whether these measures support sustainable fishing while also considering habitats, seabed environments and other ecosystem components.
• Identify information gaps that may limit the assessment and management of marine reserves.
• Propose methodological improvements and potential solutions to address the information needs identified.

Expected results

The project will provide an updated framework for assessing the management of Marine Reserves of Fisheries Interest, bringing together current regulations, available scientific evidence and the most appropriate methodological approaches.

It will assess the suitability of existing data collection and verification protocols and identify areas where updates may be required.

The work will also identify information gaps, assess their implications for management, and develop recommendations and methodological improvements to enable a more comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the measures implemented.

Expected impact

The results will help strengthen adaptive, evidence-based management of Marine Reserves of Fisheries Interest.

Improved monitoring and assessment protocols will provide the responsible authorities with more reliable and relevant information to evaluate the effectiveness of management measures, adapt them where necessary, and move towards a management approach that combines sustainable fisheries resource use with marine ecosystem conservation.

Funding