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We propose that 10% of the world oceans should be covered with No-Take Marine Reserves within fifteen years. Although we will focus on 10% of ocean area, we acknowledge that other related coverage goals have been proposed. One of the most common alternatives is to cover a particular percentage of fish stocks with Marine Reserves (Madin 2001). While such a plan is good in principle, we contend that our proposed metric is easier to apply effectively.
We suggest that this figure and timescale is a reasonable middle ground between social and scientific concerns. Specifically, we feel that this is the most conservative coverage amount that can be reasonably expected to provide considerable ecological benefits. Having a clear and explicit goal is important in several respects:
-Firstly, it provides concrete goal towards which supporters of the plan can rally (Ballantine 1991).
-Secondly, providing a short, definite timescale provides a necessary urgency to the plan. Fifteen years is not an unreasonable timeframe for such a global project, considering that achievement of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals was scheduled to take fifteen years (United Nations 2005).
-Finally, a well-defined goal provides reassurance that the goal is not to eventually close off the entire ocean (Ballantine 1991). In other words, this proposal is a commitment to an "upper bound" unless clear evidence becomes available to indicate that 10% is not enough.
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