Urban typology of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): exploratory and technical study

The Mediterranean Sea presents a striking contrast as a biodiversity hotspot and one of the world's most popular touristic destinations. The coastlines of Mediterranean countries are heavily developed, densely populated, and significantly impacted by human activities. Protecting these urban coastal regions through Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) is essential for preserving the ecological value of its marine biodiversity. However, implementing effective MPAs in densely populated urban zones poses considerable challenges, necessitating the creation of suitable management strategies. This step requires first establishing a clear definition of what constitutes "urban" within the marine protection context. In that respect, our work focuses on examining several local case studies within the Mediterranean Sea. This study aims to (1) develop urban variables that enable the classification of MPAs based on levels of urbanization, and (2) define the characteristics of an "urban MPA" by establishing relevant thresholds. MPAs selection criteria were mainly: the presence of at least one "no-take zone", the existence of an implemented management plan, and the availability of ecological data. An urban indicator was created from nine variables derived from population metrics and satellite imagery analysis using QGIS software. A total of 20 MPAs were scored on a scale of 1 to 5 for each variable, and an overall average score was calculated to determine the urban indicator for each MPA. We found that (1) the developed urban indicator effectively clusters MPAs, (2) only 6 out of the 20 MPAs can be classified as urban MPAs, (3) urban MPAs tend to be easily accessible and located near densely populated area, while (4) non-urban MPAs may also be found in highly touristic areas. This study provides initial insights into the profiles of MPAs located in urban contexts. Our findings contribute to integrating marine conservation with geographical and social sciences. To go further, analyzing differences in the management and governance of urban versus non-urban MPAs will highlights valuable management tools that could enhance ecological effectiveness and foster social acceptance, tailored to the urbanization level of each MPA.