Who Uses the Marine
Environment in and near MPAs? How?
Many users benefit from the marine environment; they are members of
multiple sectors, including tourism, recreation, real estate, industry,
and commerce.
In addition to those sectors that directly use the resource, additional
indirect users may be affected by MPA decisions. For example, when restrictions
are put upon a marine resource, additional business owners who depend
on the resource for a portion of their livelihood may be affected. Therefore,
MPA staff members must be able to identify the direct and indirect resource
users and consider how decisions will impact each sector.
How Can Knowing This Help Me?
Knowing who uses the marine environment may help identify
- Who is impacted by decision making and to what extent
- Sources of conflict among users
- Who should be involved in the decision-making process
- Where to efficiently direct educational efforts
What Are Some Tools I Can Use?
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