• Background/General Information
• MPA Programs
• Research Tools
• MPA Special Topics
• News Sources
• Training
• Conferences and Workshops

Background/General Information

Definitions, terms, classification systems, Executive Order 13158, Federal MPA legislation, National MPA Center, FAQs

• All About MPAs - The Basics
  http://mpa.gov/all_about_mpa/basics.html
• A Functional Classification System for Marine Protected Areas in the United States
  http://mpa.gov/pdf/helpful-resources/factsheets/class_system_0806.pdf
• "Introduction to MPAs" theme bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• About the National MPA Center
  http://mpa.gov/mpa_center/about_mpa_center.html
• Executive Order 13158 of May 26, 2000 - Marine Protected Areas
  http://mpa.gov/executive_order/execordermpa.pdf
• Federal MPA Legislation
  http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/mpa_legislation.html
• Frequently Asked Questions (about MPAs)
  http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/faqs.html
• Glossary (terms related to U.S. MPAs)
  http://mpa.gov/glossary.html

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
marine parks and reserves - classification
marine parks and reserves - definitions
marine parks and reserves - Law and legislation
National Marine Protected Areas Center

MPA Programs

Federal, State, Commonwealth, Territory, International

• Federal Programs
  MPA Federal Programs
  http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/federal_programs.html
• MPA Federal Advisory Committee
  http://mpa.gov/mpafac/fac.html
  
• MPA Library's "Institutions and Organizations" page -
  select "Federal / National" section
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/org_and_institutions.aspx

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
Federal Advisory Committee
Federal agencies
Federal jurisdiction
marine parks and reserves - systems
marine parks and reserves - United States

• State/Commonwealth/Territory Programs
  States, Commonwealths, and Territorial Marine Managed Area Programs
  http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/state_programs.html
• MPA Library's "Institutions and Organizations" page -
  select "State" section
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/org_and_institutions.aspx

Or search names of States of interest in the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library
(http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)

• International Programs
  International MPA Efforts
  (North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation; MPA Management Effectiveness Initiative; UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme)
  http://mpa.gov/helpful_resources/international.html
• MPA Library's "Institutions and Organizations" page -
  select "International" section
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/org_and_institutions.aspx
• "International" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• IUCN (The World Conservation Union)-Global Marine Programme Web site
  http://www.iucn.org/themes/marine/
• WCPA (World Commission on Protected Areas)-Marine Programme
  http://www.iucn.org/themes/wcpa/biome/marine/marineprogramme.html

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
international cooperation
international law
(also browse keywords for names of individual organizations, U.N. sub-agencies, names of international treaties, etc.)

Research Tools

MPA Virtual Library, NOAA Libraries' Catalog, journals/contents alerts, subject guides, databases

• MPA Virtual Library
  Searchable database of publications, institutions/organizations, conferences, and web sites
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx
• MPA Virtual Library Theme Bins
  Browseable, subject-based theme bins providing access to the MPA Virtual Library by topic
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• NOAA Libraries' Catalog (search "MPA document" as a title search)
  http://www.lib.noaa.gov/uhtbin/webcat
• NOAA Central Library E-Journals (search alphabetically by title, or by subject)
  http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docs/journals/ejournals.html
• Journal publishers' contents alerts - Register to set up contents alerts for marine science journal titles on publishers' web sites, for example:
  
  • Blackwell-Synergy - http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/
    
  • ScienceDirect - http://www.sciencedirect.com/
    
  • SpringerLink - http://www.springerlink.com/
    
  • Taylor & Francis - http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/default.asp
• WINDandSEA (Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Internet Locator) -
  http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docs/wind/windandsea.html
• Databases and Article Searching (some free, some restricted to NOAA staff)
  http://www.lib.noaa.gov/docs/journals/databases.html

MPA Special Topics

Cultural resources, Education, Enforcement, Fisheries, GIS tools, Marine Managed Areas, MPA Science, U.S. National System, Regional information, Social Science

• Cultural/Historic MPA Resources
  MPA Web site's Cultural and Historic MPA Resources page
  http://www.mpa.gov/science_analysis/cult_hist_mpa_resource.html
• "Cultural Resources" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• Social Science Methods for MPAs web site,
  "Submerged Cultural Resources" page
  http://www.csc.noaa.gov/mpass/theme_sub.html
• Marine Cultural and Historic Newsletter (National MPA Center archived publication)
  For back issues, see:
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/newsletters.html#CHR

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
cultural property - protection
historic preservaton
national parks and reserves
shipwrecks
submerged cultural resources
world heritage areas

• Education and Public Awareness
  MPA Web site's "Education and Training" page
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/education_training.html
• Information Exchange for Marine Educators (NOAA Office of Education-supported newsletter)
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/education_training.html#infoexchange
• "Education  Public Awareness" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx
for terms such as:
citizen participation
education
marine parks and reserves - Study and teaching
public awareness
training

• Enforcement
  Enforcing U.S. Marine Protected Areas: Synthesis Report
  http://www.mpa.gov/pdf/publications/enforcement.pdf
• "Enforcement" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
effectiveness
enforcement
marine parks and reserves - management - evaluation
monitoring

• Fisheries issues
  "Fisheries" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
• NOAA Office of Sustainable Fisheries
  http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/sfweb/index.htm

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
fishery conservation
fishery management
larvae - dispersal
sustainable fisheries

• GIS/Remote Sensing Tools
  MPA Web site's "GIS/Remote Sensing" page
  http://www.mpa.gov/science_analysis/gis_remote_sensing.html
• An Inventory of GIS-Based Decision Support Tools for MPAs
  http://www.mpa.gov/pdf/publications/FINAL_Decision%20Sup%20Rpt.pdf

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
acoustic sensing
decision support systems
geographic information systems
remote sensing

• Marine Managed Areas
  MPA Web site's "Inventory of Marine Managed Areas in the U.S." page
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/inventory.html
• Case Studies of State-Level Marine Managed Area Systems
  http://www.mpa.gov/pdf/publications/FinalAddendum_CaseStudies.pdf
• "Marine Managed Areas" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• MPA Science
  National MPA Center Science Institute (Santa Cruz and Monterey, California)
  http://www.mpa.gov/mpa_center/mpa_sci_institute.html
  Marine Reserves: A Guide to Science, Design and Use, by Jack Sobel and Craig Dahlgren
  (search for descriptive record in MPA Virtual Library):
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx
• National System of MPAs
  MPA Web site's "Developing the National System of Marine Protected Areas" page
  http://www.mpa.gov/national_system/national_system.html
• "MPA Systems and Networks" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• Draft Framework for Developing the National System of Marine Protected Areas
  http://www.mpa.gov/pdf/national-system/final-framework-draft.pdf

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
marine managed areas
marine parks and reserves - networks
marine parks and reserves - systems
marine parks and reserves - United States
research
science
(browse keywords for names of specific marine sciences)

• Social Science Methods
  MPA Web site's "Social Science" page
  http://www.mpa.gov/science_analysis/social_science.html
• "Social Science/Economics" Theme Bin in the MPA Virtual Library
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/themebins.aspx
• Social Science Methods for Marine Protected Areas Web site
  http://csc.noaa.gov/mpass/
• Social Science Research Strategy for Marine Protected Areas
  http://www.mpa.gov/pdf/publications/ssr_strategy.pdf

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
anthropogenic factors
marine parks and reserves - Sociological aspects
sociocultural aspects
social science
socioeconomic aspects
stakeholder participation

• Regional Information
  MPA Web site's "West Coast Pilot: A Regional Partnership to Advance Ecosystem Approaches to Marine Protected Areas" page
  http://www.mpa.gov/national_system/westcoast_pilot.html
• MPA Web site's "Institutions and Organizations" page
  (Select for example "State" or "Multistate")
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/org_and_institutions.aspx

Or search the 'keywords' field of the MPA Virtual Library (http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx)
for terms such as:
Caribbean area
Gulf of Maine
Gulf of Mexico
regional planning
(select 'controlled keywords list' to browse keywords for other areas of interest)

News Sources

Newsletters, news alerts, press releases

• MPA Connections (periodic newsletter of National MPA Center)
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/newsletters.html
• MPA News (international news and analysis)
  http://depts.washington.edu/mpanews/
• Marine Ecosystems and Management (quarterly newsletter on marine ecosystem-based management)
  http://depts.washington.edu/meam/
• MPA Library's "Web sites" page
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/websites.aspx
  (Select the "Online Newsletters and Journals" section for titles indexed in the MPA Virtual Library)
• Information Exchange for Marine Educators (NOAA Office of Education-supported newsletter for marine educators)
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/education_training.html#infoexchange
• Marine Cultural and Historic Newsletter (National MPA Center archived publication)
  For back issues, see:
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/newsletters.html#CHR
• NOAA Coral Reef News
  http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov/news/welcome.html
• Google Alerts (set up an alert for "marine protected areas" news)
  http://www.google.com/alerts/
• Nexis.com (subscribers may set up news alerts for "marine protected areas" news)
  http://www.nexis.com/
• NOAA press releases about MPAs
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/press_releases.html

Training

MPA information and management training courses

• MPA Web site's "Education and Training" page
  http://www.mpa.gov/helpful_resources/education_training.html
  • Managing Vistitor Use in Coastal and Marine Protected Areas
    http://www.csc.noaa.gov/cms/cls/visitor_mpa.html

Conferences and Workshops

Sources of information on MPA conferences and workshops

• MPA Library's "Conferences and Workshops" page
  http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/conf_and_workshops.aspx
• See the conference listings which appear regularly in newsletters such as MPA Connections; Marine Cultural and Historic Newsletter; and NOAA Coral Reef News; and those which appear periodically in MPA News.
  (See "News Sources" category in this research guide.)

Visit the "Marine Protected Areas of the United States" Web site often, for current information on the effective use of science, technology, training and information in the planning, management, and evaluation of the nation's developing system of marine protected areas:

Marine Protected Areas of the United States Web site
http://mpa.gov/

MPA Virtual Library
Search MPA titles, authors, subjects and terms of interest in the MPA Virtual Library:
http://www3.mpa.gov/mpa_lib/virtual_library.aspx

For reference help with the MPA Virtual Library, contact:
mpalibrary@noaa.gov