Proposed network of Marine Protected Areas supports larval dispersal and connectivity in the Eastern Mediterranean

The marine environment of the Eastern Mediterranean is under growing threat due to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Networks of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are effective tools in protecting marine environments and conserving their biodiversity. Currently, only 4% of the Israeli territorial waters are declared as MPAs, however six new MPAs, which will encompass more than 20% of the Israeli territorial waters, are planned. A central component in the effectiveness of MPAs is the degree to which the protected populations are connected. The purpose of our study is performing a comprehensive connectivity analysis for the proposed network of MPAs. We find that the proposed network substantially supports local and regional larval connectivity patterns for five target species in terms of the number of recruits, betweenness centrality, as well as the number of regional and local MPAs connections. Overall, the results provide strong support for the efficiency of the proposed MPAs in facilitating local and regional larval connectivity. Our findings will be useful for marine spatial planning and natural resource management and will enhance the protection and conservation of our marine environment.