Self-financed marine protected areas

Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool for conservation but can be victims of their own success—higher fish biomass within MPAs create incentives to poach. This insight underpins the finding that fishing persists in most worldwide, and it raises questions about MPA monitoring enforcement. We propose a novel institution enhance design—a ‘Conservation Finance Area (CFA)’—that utilizes leased zones inside MPAs, fed by spillover, finance enforcement achieve greater success. Using bioeconomic model we show CFAs fully enforcement, deter illegal fishing, ultimately maximize biomass. Moreover, unless large, exogenous, perpetual budget is available, implementing CFA no-take would always result higher than without. also explore real-world enabling conditions, providing plausible funding pathway improve outcomes existing future MPAs.