Marine protected areas: Their potential for the conservation of the franciscana

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been considered one of the most effective instruments to protect marine biodiversity, including endangered species. However, the effectiveness of MPAs in conserving coastal, long-living, and mobile species, such as the franciscana, is quite challenging. In this chapter, we evaluate the existing MPAs’ potential to protect the species along its entire distribution and also present some future perspectives and recommendations. A total of 44 MPAs were identified, including 25 in Brazil, six in Uruguay, and 13 in Argentina. Most of the MPAs are relatively small (<100 km2) and are classified as sustainable use areas, usually without any particular fishery regulation or spatial zoning. Therefore, even though approximately 19% of the franciscana´s distribution is legally protected by some type of MPA, the long-term survival of the species depends on additional measures largely related to the management of the fisheries both inside and outside of the protected areas.