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We fully support any international body or framework that provides a global vision for the establishment of marine reserves. If any international organization takes MPAs up as a key issue, it can provide unifying ideals, principles, and moral support for the endeavor. Indeed, for waters outside the jurisdiction of coastal states, some form of binding international agreement would provide the most and perhaps only form of effective management (Molenaar 2004).
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However, given that the majority of damaging human activity happens within the jurisdictional control of countries, we contend that most details of implementation and enforcement can best be handled on a national or regional basis. Additionally, since most marine reserves will be located within territorial seas and exclusive economic zones, states have a sovereign legal right to manage them as environmental and economic issues (United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty 1982).
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After the establishment of an MPAs, the major challenge is the enforcement of the regulations of the reserves. Once established, the borders should be relatively constant and the restrictions well-publicized, to avoid confusion among those wanting to fish near the reserves. Technology can greatly assist in the monitoring of marine protected areas. One possibility is to require GPS-based transponders on all boats to ensure they do not cross protected borders without authorization. Another related technological possibility is satellite-based remote sensing. Relevant management authorities can then use data from such sources to locate violators and the locations in which infringement occurs, while minimizing the need for extensive and costly patrols. One interesting extension would international sharing of enforcement data, which would allow in principle for broader and more effective enforcement.unmigrated-wiki-markup
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There are also simple, non-technological ways to limit the number of violations of marine protected areas. The most important is important to foster a positive local attitude towards the protected areas. This will have the effect of creating a network of peer surveillance in which fishers will mutually enforce the statutes and regulations (Jones 2004). In practice, an effective system of peer surveillance has been shown to be the most effective enforcement method for any management practice (Russ, Alcala, & Maypa 2003). This fact again highlights the general principle that broad acceptance of these reserves is a key factor in their success.