Marine Protected Areas in the RSGA Region
 
Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been established in many parts of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as tools to provide for sustainable resource use, economic development and conservation. Of particular importance is the need to conserve areas that represent the range of the region’s unique habitats and biodiversity and to support national development. This has been initiated through the integration of 12 MPAs throughout the region into a Regional Network of MPAs for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
 
 

	Rationale:
	The implementation of PERSGA's MPA-related activities are aligned with the Jeddah Convention Protocol Concerning the Conservation of Biological Diversity and the Establishment of a Network of Marine Protected Areas (2005), Part III, Articles 9 and 10, Part VI, Article 25, and Points 4 and 5.

Capacity Building and Training:
 
In order to avoid designating more MPAs than could be adequately managed, PERSGA emphasises institutional and capacity building, including resource mobilisation. Experience gained during the regional exercises would allow each country to apply conservation management principles to the full set of MPAs in its territory.
 
PERGSA has identified and trained National and Regional specialists to form specialist thematic teams, or Working Groups that receive training in necessary skills in order to carry out conservation activities in their respective territories. Training sessions were conducted on the following topics: Regional Training Workshop on MPA management,  Regional Training Workshop on ‘The Fully Protected Area Approach’ (prepared by WWF), Scuba diving training, On-the-job training exchange programme: public awareness and community participation in MPA planning and management, Regional Training for MPA managers with UNDP Train-Sea-Coast, Classroom and on-the-job training during site surveys, with GIS training, On-the-job training exchange programme: Sharm el Sheikh and Aqaba Marine Park. These events have proven to be invaluable for promoting information-exchange, networking and building a foundation for regional communication regarding MPA management issues.

	Working Group
	Working Group of Marine Protected Areas in the RSGA Region