| Designated by local, regional, or federal agencies, marine protected areas (MPAs) are portions of the ocean in which human activities have been regulated or even prohibited in order to minimize negative impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems. The academic literature on marine protected areas is growing, yet this research tends to focus on the natural science aspects of MPAs. This scientific information is useful for identifying potential sites, designating boundaries, characterizing management alternatives within sites, and evaluating biological effects of such areas; yet it may not be sufficient for actually implementing and managing MPAs. Implementation and management of MPAs are political processes driven by humans and their needs. To make comprehensive, rational decisions about MPAs, it is critical to have an understanding of the ecological characteristics of the site as well as the political, legal, economic, social, and cultural interactions of people with this area.; This dissertation borrows tools from several disciplines to examine human interactions with resources in MPAs. A comprehensive approach is presented for identifying potential MPA sites that encompass important ecological features while minimizing negative economic impacts on the local economy. An example of this approach estimates the total economic impacts on Massachusetts' coastal counties of restricting fishing and shipping in certain areas of the southern Gulf of Maine region. The results suggest that the impacts would differ according to the area in which shipping and fishing were restricted.; Because involving the public in natural resource management has been shown to reduce user conflict, enhance stewardship, and improve management, this dissertation also explores ways to strengthen public participation processes. Qualitative interviews of participants in marine and coastal resource management processes reveal process features that participants find important. Many of these features echo criteria for effective public participation processes prescribed in the literature. Additional features that emerged during the interviews that have not been discussed in the literature are also presented.; This dissertation concludes that if MPAs are to be used as a comprehensive tool for marine ecosystem management, it is essential to consider humans, and human activities, when designing and managing marine protected areas. |
