Do Marine Protected Areas Reduce Poverty? A Systematic Review and Critical Evidence Synthesis of Socioeconomic Outcomes in Southeast Asian Coastal Communities

Abstract

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are widely recognised as a key strategy for conserving marine biodiversity while advancing sustainable development. Beyond ecological conservation, MPAs are increasingly expected to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty among coastal communities that depend on marine resources. However, evidence regarding their socioeconomic outcomes remains heterogeneous, making it difficult to determine the conditions under which MPAs contribute to poverty reduction. This study presents a systematic review and critical evidence synthesis of poverty‐related socioeconomic outcomes associated with MPAs in Southeast Asian coastal communities. Following the Reporting Standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES), a comprehensive literature search was conducted across Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, Environment Complete, ProQuest, Google Scholar and relevant grey literature for studies published between 2000 and June 2023. Sixteen empirical studies met the predefined eligibility criteria. The synthesis identified consistent evidence that MPAs can improve household income, fisheries productivity, livelihood diversification and tourism‐related employment when supported by effective governance, equitable benefit‐sharing, meaningful community participation and strong institutional capacity. Conversely, weak governance, restricted access to fishing grounds, limited livelihood alternatives and unequal distribution of conservation benefits were associated with livelihood displacement and increased economic vulnerability. The review further demonstrates that variation in socioeconomic outcomes is primarily explained by differences in governance quality, implementation context and institutional arrangements rather than MPA establishment alone. By identifying the mechanisms underpinning heterogeneous findings, this review advances current understanding of how MPAs influence poverty‐related outcomes and provides evidence‐based recommendations for integrating biodiversity conservation with inclusive and sustainable coastal development.