Protected Areas (Marine, IUCN Categories I-VI and not Classified) - Total

A marine protected area is an area of sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biodiversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means. Marine parks, nature reserves and other marine protected areas can include: reefs, seagrass beds, shipwrecks, archaeological sites, tidal lagoons, mudflats, saltmarshes, mangroves, rock platforms, underwater areas on the coast and seabed in deep water.

Some of the Benefits of Marine Protected Areas:

- maintaining biodiversity
- protecting endangered or threatened species such as whales, marine turtles and seagrass meadows and their habitats
- enhancing fisheries by ensuring breeding areas are not degraded and catch limits are sustainable
- providing opportunities for research
- conserving our cultural heritage, such as sites of Aboriginal significance

A protected area is defined by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) as: An area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means Although all protected areas meet the general purposes contained in this definition, in practice the precise purposes for which protected areas are managed differ greatly.

Following are the definitions of IUCN Management categories I-VI. Category Ia. Strict Nature Reserve: protected area managed mainly for science. Area of land and/or sea possessing some outstanding or representative ecosystems, geological or physiological features and/or species, available primarily for scientific research and/or environmental monitoring.

Category Ib. Wilderness Area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection. Large area of unmodified or slightly modified land, and/or sea, retaining its natural character and influence, without permanent or significant habitation, which is protected and managed so as to preserve its natural condition.

Category II. National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation.
Natural area of land and/or sea, designated to a) protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for present and future generations; b) exclude exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation of the area and c) provide a foundation for spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational and visitor opportunities, all of which must be environmentally and culturally compatible.

Category III. Natural Monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural features. Area containing one, or more, specific natural or natural/cultural feature which is of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative or aesthetic qualities or cultural significance.

Category IV. Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for conservation through management intervention. Area of land and/or sea subject to active intervention for management purposes so as to ensure the maintenance of habitats and/or to meet the requirements of specific species.

Category V. Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape conservation and recreation. Area of land, with coast and sea as appropriate, where the interaction of people and nature over time has produced an area of distinct character with significant aesthetic, ecological and/or cultural value, and often with high biological diversity. Safeguarding the integrity of this traditional interaction is vital to the protection, maintenance and evolution of such an area.

Category VI. Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use of natural ecosystems. Area containing predominantly unmodified natural systems, managed to ensure long term protection and maintenance of biological diversity, while providing at the same time a sustainable flow of natural products and services to meet community needs.

For more information on the variables and collection methodologies see original source or the IUCN Web site: http://wcpa.iucn.org/

海洋保护区（Marine Protected Area）是指专门用于保护和维持生物多样性，以及自然及相关文化资源，并通过法律或其他有效手段进行管理的海域。海洋公园、自然保护区及其他海洋保护区可涵盖：珊瑚礁、海草床、沉船遗迹、考古遗址、潮汐泻湖、潮间带泥滩、盐沼、红树林、岩质平台、近岸水下区域以及深水海床。

海洋保护区的部分益处包括：
- 维持生物多样性
- 保护濒危或受威胁物种，例如鲸类、海龟与海草床及其栖息生境
- 通过确保繁殖区域不受破坏、捕捞限额可持续，助力渔业发展
- 提供科研契机
- 保护人类文化遗产，例如具有原住民文化意义的遗址

世界自然保护联盟（International Union for Conservation of Nature, IUCN）将保护区定义为：专门用于保护和维持生物多样性，以及自然及相关文化资源，并通过法律或其他有效手段进行管理的陆域及/或海域。尽管所有保护区均符合该定义的通用宗旨，但在实际管理中，各类保护区的具体目标差异显著。

以下为IUCN管理类别I至VI的定义：
类别Ia 严格自然保护区：主要为科学研究目的而管理的保护区。该类陆域及/或海域拥有部分卓越或具有代表性的生态系统、地质或生理特征及/或物种，主要用于科学研究和/或环境监测。

类别Ib 荒野保护区：主要为荒野保护而管理的保护区。该类区域多为未受干扰或受轻微干扰的陆域及/或海域，保留其自然特征与影响力，无永久性或显著的人居活动，通过保护与管理维持其自然状态。

类别II 国家公园：主要为生态系统保护和游憩目的而管理的保护区。该类自然陆域及/或海域的设立目标为：a) 保护一个或多个生态系统的生态完整性，惠及当代与后代；b) 禁止有损区域设立宗旨的开发或占用行为；c) 为精神、科学、教育、游憩及访客体验提供基础，所有此类活动均需符合环境与文化兼容性要求。

类别III 自然纪念地：主要为保护特定自然特征而管理的保护区。该区域包含一项或多项特定自然或自然/文化特征，因其固有稀有性、代表性或美学价值，或文化意义而具有卓越或独特价值。

类别IV 栖息地/物种管理区：主要通过管理干预实现保护目标的保护区。该类陆域及/或海域需主动开展管理干预，以确保栖息地得以维持，或满足特定物种的生存需求。

类别V 保护地景观/海景：主要为景观/海景保护及游憩目的而管理的保护区。该类陆域（视情况包含海岸与海域）中，人类与自然的长期互动形成了具有显著美学、生态及/或文化价值，且通常生物多样性较高的独特区域。维护此类传统互动的完整性，对该区域的保护、维持与演化至关重要。

类别VI 可持续利用资源保护区：主要为自然生态系统的可持续利用而管理的保护区。该区域以未受显著改造的自然系统为主，通过管理确保生物多样性得到长期保护与维持，同时可持续提供自然产品与服务以满足社区需求。

如需了解更多关于变量与采集方法的信息，请参阅原始来源或IUCN世界保护区数据库网站：http://wcpa.iucn.org/