University of Rhode Island DigitalCommons@URI Open Access Master's Theses 2020 STEALTH SANCTUARY: THE CHALLENGE OF PROTECTION AT STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY Clea Harrelson University of Rhode Island,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses Recommended Citation Harrelson, Clea, "STEALTH SANCTUARY: THE CHALLENGE OF PROTECTION AT STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY" (2020). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 1834. https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/1834 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@URI. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@URI. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. STEALTH SANCTUARY: THE CHALLENGE OF PROTECTION AT STELLWAGEN BANK NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY BY CLEA HARRELSON A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF THE ARTS IN MARINE AFFAIRS UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 2020 MASTER OF ARTS IN MARINE AFFAIRS THESIS OF CLEA HARRELSON APPROVED: Thesis Committee: Major Professor Amelia Moore Tracey Dalton Rod Mather Nasser H. Zawia DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND 2020 ABSTRACT Centuries of exploitation in marine areas have negatively impacted the biomass, diversity, and function of marine habitats and life on a global scale. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly relied upon as a conservation strategy to address the degradation of marine resources in the U.S., but research on the social context that shapes protection of these marine spaces remains sparse. This study explores protection through the evolution of the people and groups who use the marine resources within MPAs and those who manage MPAs over time.