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SUSTAINABLE FINANCING OF MPAs IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

3.1.2 Resource consumption

a) Operating costs
The local survey from the 2014 budget analysis clearly shows that human resources are
the principal operating cost for MPAs. There is a strong positive correlation between the
number of permanent staff and the operating budget (correlation coefficient, r = 0.93 for
autonomous MPAs and r = 0.99 for pioneer MPAs). This was expected as salaries (for the
park director, managers, park guards, scientists, community liaison officers, tourism
specialists, and financial specialists) represents over 50% of operating costs for 60% of
sampled MPAs (median, 77%).
Human resources consist of permanent staff and non-permanent staff often paid by specific
scientific programs or projects (91% of staff on average) for autonomous MPAs. Seasonal
staff (9% on average) provide mainly field reinforcements during the summer season for
monitoring, education and control for autonomous MPAs. Figure 12 below presents the
distribution of staff per skill. On the average, administrative staff (directors, secretaries and
accounting officers) represents 48% of permanent staff for MPAs in the autonomous phase.
Scientific staff only account for 9% of permanent staff on average in autonomous MPAs
(scientific skills are often mobilised for specific projects and paid by project-based
investment budgets, as mentioned during interviews).
Pioneer MPAs focused their recruitment on permanent administrative staff: during
establishment of an MPA, efforts have to be made in defining the administrative and legal
framework. Scientific staff are hired seasonally on short-term contracts to support specific
projects in line with the development of the MPA.

May 2015 – Vertigo Lab, for MedPAN, RAC/SPA and WWF Med. Page 45