I see marine protected areas as a unique win-win between conservation and public health. More than one billion people rely on seafood for adequate nutrition. Coral bleaching and physical damage to coral reefs from unsustainable fishing will reduce reef-based fisheries. That will take away an essential nutritional resource for already food-insecure populations. Without access to seafood, nutritionally vulnerable populations around the world will face nutrient deficiencies that can lead to increased rates of illness and death.

Creating more marine protected areas can increase fish stocks and then increase fish catch by up to 20 percent. That could help prevent up to three million people in coral reef communities from having nutritional deficiencies. Sustainable-use marine protected areas in countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Haiti will be important public health interventions. They have large coastal populations at high risk of inadequate nutrient intake. And they are also where we expect to see the greatest increase in fish caught and improvements in nutrition.

The public health community needs to include the environment as a determinant of health. Coastal communities have an inadequate supply of aquatic foods. Expanding marine protected areas is a solution. Marine protected areas cover only about 7.45 percent of our oceans. But there is strong international interest in setting a new target of 30 percent by 2030. That could greatly increase quantities of fish available.