dFADs Undermining MPA Effectiveness for Sharks

Drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs) are reducing the effectiveness of marine protected areas by attracting and concentrating sharks outside MPA boundaries, where they are vulnerable to fishing. Reinforced by multiple articles on MPA governance gaps and legal fights against bottom trawling. Today's article on protected area coverage gaps, the UN warning on 30x30 targets, and the Spain MPA proposal (63% insufficiently protected) add further evidence of MPA underperformance and policy urgency.