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The effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) and the conservation of marine environments must be based on reliable information on the quality of the marine environment that can be obtained in a reasonable timeframe. We reviewed studies that evaluated all aspects related to the effectiveness of MPAs in order to describe how the studies were conducted and to detect fields in which research is lacking. Existing parameters used to evaluate the effectiveness of MPAs are summarised. Two-hundred and twenty-two publications were reviewed. We identified the most commonly used study subjects and methodological approaches. Most of the studies concentrated on biological parameters. Peer reviewed studies were based on control vs. impact design. BACI and mBACI designs were used in very few studies. Through this review, we have identified gaps in the objectives assigned to MPAs and the way in which they have been evaluated. We suggest some guidelines aimedat improving the assessment of the effects of protection in MPAs.

The loggerhead (Caretta caretta) is the most common sea turtle in the Azores. Since they do not nest in the area, a tagging program was started in the 1980's to try to discover their origin. The result based on size distribution, suggested that they mainly are coming from beaches in SE United States. A collaboration between University of Florida and the University of the Azores began in 1984 in order to proceed with further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We estimated discard at the species level for all fisheries occurring in the Azores. • Discard only represent 5.0% (784 t/year) of the total catch taken in the Azores EEZ. • Low discarding results from high fishing selectivity and wide catch utilization. • Despite high selectivity, bycatch of vulnerable species occasionally occurs. • The European Landing Obligation could have detrimental impacts on Azorean fisheries. Abstract In contrast to the vast majority of European maritime territories, the Azores is an isolated oceanic archipelago in the North East Atlantic characterised by small-scale hooks-and-lines fisheries. Yet, in spite of the low environmental impact of such fishing gears, there is no solid integrative information on the discard practices. This study bridges this gap by providing a comprehensive, historic overview of catch and associated discarding from major Azorean fisheries. An estimated catch of 1.02 million tonnes was taken in the Azores EEZ during the 1950–2014 period, of which only 5.0% were discarded (avg. 784 t/year). In recent years, discards were mostly attributable to the bottom longline (447 t/year, 10.3% of total catch) and artisanal purse-seine (270 t/year, 13.0%) fisheries. Discarding in the Azorean pelagic longlining fleet was also high (246.3 t/year, 43.6%) due to low retention of sharks on board, as opposed to that of the foreign and mainland fleets. The overall low amount of discards in the Azorean fisheries is the result of a high fishing selectivity combined with wide catch utilization. However, the upcoming European Landing Obligation could still have detrimental impacts on these fisheries. Further, some bycatch of protected/prohibited species occasionally occurs and could become a conservation issue if not carefully monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]