Contribution of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) towards ecosystem services and fisheries: An experts’ perspective from Mediterranean MPAs

The Ecosystem Service framework is essential for understanding the role of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in delivering conservation benefits and societal goods such as fisheries. A perception analysis was conducted to capture the views of 33 experts on MPA-associated ecosystem services. Moreover, using The MPA Guide , we applied a scenario-based approach to assess the potential impact of different degrees of protection (i.e., fully, highly, lightly, and minimally protected levels) on fisheries-related ecosystem services. An expert-based evaluation explored the influence of these protection levels on fisheries-related ecosystem services across two prospective timeframes, set at 3- and 7-years post-implementation. Findings indicate a broad consensus on the perceived importance of cultural services attributed to MPAs. Provisioning MPA-associated ecosystem services are moderate, and their relevance varies by experiential and disciplinary backgrounds of experts. Fully and highly protected levels were perceived as the most effective in enhancing fisheries-related ecosystem services, particularly through increased fish abundance, individual size, and biomass. While provisioning fisheries-related ecosystem services were clearly perceived as increasing over time, especially under higher protection levels, the trends for regulation/maintenance and cultural fisheries-related ecosystem services were more subtle. This study highlights the need for adaptive protection strategies that account for temporal scales, reinforcing the role of long-term monitoring frameworks that capture both socioeconomic and social-ecological outcomes. Moreover, by introducing a qualitative cost-effective expert judgment, this methodology can be implemented in data-poor contexts such as the Mediterranean region. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and MPA planners striving to implement the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy in the Mediterranean Sea in terms of design, zoning, and governance of strictly protected MPAs that are both ecologically effective and socially acceptable. • Using of expert knowledge can be a cost-effective tool in data-poor contexts. • Expert-based assessments can complement existing quantitative approaches. • Temporal scales integration in marine protection helps towards adaptive strategies. • Integrating Ecosystem Services Assessment in MPA design supports equitable outcomes. • Ecosystem Services Assessment aids EU 2030 goal of 10% strict marine protection.