Temporal dimensions in marine spatial closures
Erendira Aceves-Bueno1, Matthew Lauer2, Emilie Lindkvist3
1School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington, USA.
Cambridge Prisms. Coastal Futures
|July 23, 2026
Summary
Temporary marine closures balance conservation with community needs. This study introduces a framework analyzing time-based management, focusing on duration and cyclicity for sustainable resource use.
Area of Science:
- Marine conservation
- Fisheries management
- Social-ecological systems
Background:
- Permanent marine protected areas are effective but challenging for small-scale fisheries.
- Temporary closures, opening and closing over time, are widely used but under-theorized.
- Current management often prioritizes spatial protection over temporal dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate marine management by emphasizing the role of time over space.
- To introduce a framework for analyzing temporary marine closures.
- To clarify how temporal dimensions influence ecological, social, and governance outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual framework development.
- Analysis of temporal dimensions: duration and cyclicity (including access ratio).
- Synthesis of diverse case examples of temporary marine management.
Main Results:
- Temporary closures offer a dynamic approach to balance conservation and resource use.
- The proposed framework distinguishes key temporal design elements.
- Cyclicity, including the access ratio, is crucial for understanding management effectiveness.
Conclusions:
- Time, specifically duration and cyclicity, should be central to marine management strategies.
- A formal theory and comparative evidence base for temporal management are needed.
- Temporal strategies can better align ecological recovery with livelihood needs in dependent systems.
