Page 87 - Binet_et_al2015

SUSTAINABLE FINANCING OF MPAs IN THE MEDITERRANEAN: A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

6 KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 Key findings

Regarding resource needs from local MPAs
The study showed variability in the funding structure according to the level of development of
MPAs. In the pioneer phase, MPAs are more dependent on national budgets than in the
autonomous phase. For the latter, there is an increase in financial sources, in particular from
the private sector.
The level of financial needs is also correlated with the level of development of the MPA;
recent and pioneer MPAs call for substantial investments in view to consolidating
management structures and activities. In the autonomous phase, investments are directed to
survey and monitoring, and car and boat purchase, which assumes financial stability for
operating costs (staff salaries and other operating costs)

Regarding resource consumption
The study demonstrated the importance of human resources in the operating costs of MPAs
at the local level. This may be even greater as voluntary contribution has hardly ever been
estimated by MPAs and scientific support was often associated with project costs and
included in short term investments.
Focusing on potential factors for resource consumption, MPA marine surface area has been
identified as the main factor affecting human resource consumption and costs. It was thus
possible to identify different levels of resource consumption based on MPA marine surface
area in the Mediterranean.
Large disparity between reported resource needs for effective management suggests that
costs for effective management are highly dependent on manager ambition and thus with the
local context and objectives of the MPA.

Regarding resource mobilisation at the national level
The findings on resource mobilisation show an important role for Official Development
Assistance (bilateral and multilateral ODA) in assisting countries in the establishment of a
coherent and efficient framework for an MPA network. EU funds play a predominant role for
EU member States, allowing regions to invest in MPAs.
Besides creation and management of MPAs, cross-cutting issues are predominantly
targeted by international cooperation (ODA bilateral and multilateral). The scale of the
necessary investments varies considerably from one MPA to another. This encompasses a
wide range of activities such as:

▪ Financing good practices in fisheries or the shift from harmful practices towards
to more sustainable ones;

▪ Financing restoration activities through PES schemes or other innovative
financial mechanisms (environmental funds);
▪ Financing activities aiming to fight invasive alien species;

May 2015 – Vertigo Lab, for MedPAN, RAC/SPA and WWF Med. Page 87