Beyond “paper parks”: integrating marine fauna into Brazilian protected area management

Abstract

Protected Areas (PAs) are crucial for preserving species, promoting sustainability, and meeting global agreement targets. However, their effectiveness may be compromised by insufficient inclusion of biodiversity in their management plans. This study assessed the extent to which marine fauna is incorporated into the management plans of Brazilian coastal and marine PAs. We reviewed 144 Brazilian PAs and found that only 82 (57 %) have management plans. Of these, the majority (61 %) are designated as sustainable use areas, where resource extraction and human occupation are permitted, rather than no-take zones offering stricter protection. Our analysis revealed a predominant focus on terrestrial vertebrates, while marine diversity is often limited to a few economically important species. Key ecological groups, such as marine invertebrates, are largely overlooked in all sections of management plans (i.e., assessment, zoning, and planning). These gaps may result in ineffective conservation outcomes due to ad hoc decision-making, conflicting land uses, and poor alignment with biodiversity objectives. To enhance the ecological effectiveness of Brazil's coastal and marine PAs, management plans must be developed for all existing PAs and revised to explicitly incorporate local marine biodiversity into the assessment and development of management strategies.