Marine protected areas: Monaco’s global commitment

Monaco created the world’s first ever urban marine reserve in 1976. The Association Monégasque pour la Protection de la Nature leads an innovative research model that has grown from that early work.

The turquoise coastal waters off Monaco’s Larvotto district teem with an abundance of marine life. Large numbers of groupers, brown meagres, scorpionfish, wrasses and salema porgy can be found swimming in an area where fishing, anchoring and sailing are strictly prohibited: the Larvotto Marine Reserve. The world’s first urban marine protected area (MPA), established in 1976 thanks to an initiative led by Prince Rainier III, is today managed by the Association Monégasque pour la Protection de la Nature (AMPN).

Research carried out in partnership with Monaco Scientific Centre (CSM) has shown just how effective the MPA area is, with larger populations, greater diversity, and the gradual return of iconic, once endangered species like the dusky grouper and the brown meagre. “Our monitoring shows clear signs of species returning. Marine protected areas work, and their impact can be measured,” emphasises Jacqueline Gautier-Debernardi.

How science and innovation support marine conservation

Monaco’s MPAs have become invaluable laboratories, allowing scientists to carry out cutting-edge research. Together with the CSM, French and Italian universities, France’s research institute the CNRS, the Oceanographic Museum and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the AMPN has trialled several innovations, ranging from In situ coral aquaculture to 3D-printed artificial reefs made from dolomite sand. It also uses hyperspectral cameras and BRUV (Baited Remote Underwater Video) to study marine life without collecting specimens.

Setting a Mediterranean example

Monaco supports marine protected areas not just on its own doorstep but all over the world, including through the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The Principality was the first European country to ratify the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) in May 2024. “Marine protected areas help fish stocks recover, support local economies, and encourage sustainable tourism, and are invaluable for building a genuine blue economy while protecting the sea,” says Prince Albert regularly. “To make them work, we need to involve economic stakeholders, and they must understand and share this commitment to conservation.”