Towards Marine Environmental Sustainability of St. Martin Marine Protected Area: The 3P Model Perspective

Author: M Nazmul Hassan, Tafsir Matin Johansson
DOI: doi.org/10.70279/bmj-v8-1038
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St. Martin – a recently declared Marine Protected Area (MPA) is faced with environmental challenges due to acts of negligence on the part of its coastal inhabitants, as well as the ongoing influx of tourists. Those and the resultant effects of overexploitation of marine living and non-living resources, destructive fishing practices, climatic impacts, and rapid population growth exacerbated by policy gaps threaten the marine ecology of St. Martin MPA. It is projected that such anthropogenic pressure fueled by climatic impacts is set to degrade its marine environment to an irreversible and unsustainable state. In addition, rapid population growth along with poverty and lack of alternative livelihoods for the islanders also undermines its sustaining capacity through higher consumption of natural resources. This research paper, through the prism of sustainability, focuses on exploring the environmental security threats and vulnerabilities of the St. Martin MPA. In doing so, it examines the conceptual underpinnings of the ‘3P’ Model that is deemed particularly relevant for the MPA, wherein the synergy between the pillars namely ‘policy’, ‘people’ and ‘preservation’ could optimally enhance marine environmental sustainability amidst the challenges faced in relation to blue growth. It further attempts to pave the way of the ‘3P Model’ to be implemented in the St. Martin MPA for reasons of sustainability. In doing so, the paper advocates measures towards marine environmental sustainability of St. Martin MPA taking lessons from global best practices.