“Marine reserves, commonly called no take areas, are a type of marine protected area (MPA) that has extensive restrictions on human use. No hunting, fishing, or collecting can occur in any reserve, while some impose further restrictions and allow no impacts of any kind (such as anchoring a boat) or no access by people at all. While called marine, they actually can be located in both marine and estuarine areas, and in freshwater estuaries along the shores of the Great Lakes. There are 223 marine reserves in the U.S. that cover 381,969 km2 , making up 3.1% of U.S. waters. Approximately 8% of the MPA area in the US is in marine reserves, with 92% designated for multiple uses including fishing and recreation. The marine reserves in the U.S. vary greatly in size, from 363,680 km2 (Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawaii) to 17m2 (Ohios North Pond State Nature Preserve on Kelleys Island in Lake Erie). They vary also in governance. Fifty-four are federally managed as part of National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, or National Marine Sanctuaries systems. Others are managed at the State (141) and territorial level (19), or through partnerships (9).”
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