Aquatic resources within marine protected areas do not repopulate as much as commonly believed, a fishery scientist said, citing recent studies suggesting that large sanctuaries do not live up to expectations.
Ray Hilborn, a professor with the University of Washington, said recent studies have found no measurable increase in tuna biomass density inside open-ocean protected areas. He noted that substantial ecological responses to marine closures are particularly unlikely in U.S. monument waters, where fishing pressure is relatively low.
