Consider the following statements regarding Marine Protected Areas (MP...
The Union minister of state for science and technology and earth sciences recently said that India will continue to support setting up two Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in Antarctica to protect marine life and its ecosystem services.
About Marine Protected Areas (MPAs):
- MPAs are areas of the ocean set aside for long-term conservation aims.
- They support climate change adaptation and mitigation while providing other ecosystem services.
- The specific purposes, legal authority, level of protection, management approaches, and use allowance of individual marine protected areas (MPAs) can vary greatly from site to site
- Many MPAs allow people to use the area in ways that do not damage the environment. Some ban fishing. A few do not allow people to enter the area at all.
- MPAs currently cover about 6.35% of the ocean. However, only just over 1.89% of that area is covered by exclusively no-take MPAs that do not allow any fishing, mining, drilling, or other extractive activities.
Hence both statements are not correct.
Consider the following statements regarding Marine Protected Areas (MP...
Explanation:
The correct answer is option D, neither 1 nor 2. Let's analyze each statement separately to understand why.
Statement 1: They are strictly prohibited from any human activities.
This statement is incorrect. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are designated areas within the ocean that are managed to protect and conserve marine ecosystems, habitats, and species. While MPAs aim to limit and regulate human activities within their boundaries, they do not strictly prohibit all human activities. The specific regulations and restrictions within an MPA may vary depending on its objectives and management goals. In some cases, certain activities such as fishing, tourism, or research may be allowed within the MPA, but they are often subject to regulations and restrictions to minimize their negative impacts on the marine environment.
Statement 2: They currently cover about one-third of the ocean.
This statement is also incorrect. While MPAs are an important tool for marine conservation, they currently do not cover about one-third of the ocean. The global coverage of MPAs is still relatively low, with less than 8% of the world's ocean designated as protected areas. Efforts are being made to increase the coverage of MPAs globally to meet the target of conserving at least 10% of the ocean by 2020, as set by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
To summarize, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are not strictly prohibited from any human activities, and they currently cover less than one-third of the ocean. The correct answer is option D, neither 1 nor 2.
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