Conclusion

This concluding chapter examines the question of whether or not large marine protected areas (MPAs) are a desirable and effective solution to ongoing ocean decline. It makes two seemingly at odds arguments, which it attempts to reconcile. The first argument is that the norm of large MPAs does represent an important paradigm shift in marine conservation, one that has given unprecedented attention to ocean biodiversity loss globally. The second argument qualifies this paradigm shift, claiming that the large MPA norm is still consistent with a neoliberal paradigm of environmentalism that insists that environmental protection not undermine economic growth.