Convergence Analysis of Marine Protected Areas by 104 Countries

Marine Protected Areas are central to conservation in oceans and seas and serve as protected areas for fish populations. The rapid growth of Marine Protected Areas has been guided by several leading countries in recent years. This research examines whether countries with low level of protection activities in the past have been catching up faster in recent years. If so, how fast is the speed of catch-up. This question is examined for a total group of 104 countries as well as for the seven subgroups defined by income levels and regions. For the total as well as for the subgroups of countries, statistically valid catch-up effects have been determined. However, speed of catch-up varies widely among subgroups of countries. Implication from these findings will be discussed