The “Coral Reef MPAs of East Asia and Micronesia” is a collaboration project between the Japan Wildlife Research Center (JWRC) and The WorldFish Center (ReefBase Project), funded by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MoE). The initial dataset was provided by the UNEP-WCMC through the MPA Global database project (currently merged into the World Database on Protected Areas) and the updated data were provided by various country partners in East Asia and Micronesia regions. This database was first developed in 2005-2007 as part of the Japan-Palau ICRI secretariat Plan of Action for 2005 -2007 which updated the MPA Global database with 313 new coral reef MPAs data and linked with the spatial and other data on ReefBase. The database was subsequently upgraded on ReefBase during 2008-2010. This 2nd phase of the project aimed to strengthen the usability of the database for MPA planning and management by further updating the MPA data, improving the GIS (Geographic Information System), adding analytical functions, and providing an online/offline updating system, so that the countries could have their own virtual MPA database on their website. 950 MPAs have been added since the database was first launched in 2007. Other features on this websites include publication and case studies related to MPAs in the regions. For more detail on the website please click on the link: http://mpa.reefbase.org
