ABSTRACT
Globally, the protection of marine areas has been a comparatively recent initiative compared to the use of protected areas for terrestrial conservation and resource management. The long-held belief that marine resources are infinite has now proven to be a myth; while living marine resources may be renewable, there are finite limits to exploitation. Over-fishing that led to the social and economic collapse of communities dependent upon the Grand Banks fisheries in the north-west Atlantic is a striking example of the far-reaching consequences of poorly managed marine resources and untimely responses to warning signs.
