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SUSTAINABLE FINANCING OF MPAs IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

With regard to human resources, 86% of MPAs managers declared that current MPA
funding does not cover 100% of their needs to bring management up to an effective level.
On average, the lack of permanent human resources amounts to 40% of expressed needs
required annually to effectively manage MPAs (only 33% for EU MPAs and almost 67% for
non-EU MPAs). Regarding seasonal staff, the lack of human resources amounts to 33% for
EU MPAs and 100% for non-EU MPAs.

Region Boats Cars Offices
Mediterranean 3(14) 2(14) 2(14)
EU MPAs 3(12) 2(12) 2(12)
Non-EU MPAs 1(2) 1(2) 3(2)

Table 7: Expressed non-staff annual needs for effective management

The lack of non-staff resources amounts to 13% of the total needs required to effectively
manage MPAs. Thirteen percent for boats (14% and 100% for EU and non-EU MPAs
respectively), 99% for cars (99% and 100% for EU and non-EU MPAs respectively) and 15%
for offices (14% and 80% for EU and non-EU MPAs respectively).
In conclusion, human resources needs for effective management are better met for EU
MPAs. On the contrary, non-staff needs for effective management are better met for non-EU
MPAs.

3.2.2 Predicting variation in resource needs

Evidence from previous studies has shown that the extent and magnitude of financial needs
depend on the nature of the Protected Areas (marine or terrestrial), its conservation category
and its size (Lopez et al., 2006). Other factors, such as the size of the population concerned
by the MPA, may influence the level of financial needs. In addition in this case, the needs
were expressed by managers themselves and not based on external assessment. While this
provides an ad hoc assessment, this may have created some bias depending on the
manager, their experience, the geographical situation of the MPA and the expectations for
further development of the MPA.
As human resources represent almost ¾ of current operating costs (see Section 3.1.2.) and
are a restricting factor for implementation of the principal activities (control, knowledge
production etc.), potential predictors affecting human resource consumption were
considered.

Through a sensitivity analysis, MPA marine 2012 FINDINGS ON MPA SIZE
surface area was identified as the main factor There is a very diverse range of sizes for the
affecting the consumption of human marine part of MPAs: the smallest covers 0.003
2
resources. For this reason, the study focuses km (Akhziv National Park in Israel) and the
on the impact of the marine surface area on largest (excluding the Pelagos Sanctuary for
marine mammals) covers about 4,000 km² (Gulf of
operating and investments costs. For Lion Marine Park in France). But 66% of MPAs are
resources presenting a low correlation with no bigger than 50 km² (Gabrié et al., 2012)
the MPA marine surface, the Olympic

May 2015 – Vertigo Lab, for MedPAN, RAC/SPA and WWF Med. Page 49