This book is addressed mainly to conservation of the natural resources of tropical coasts and seas. To facilitate its use as a sourcebook, the volume is arranged in three parts.Part I introduces Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as an important approach to managing coastal and marine resources, discussing in its six sections: roles of MPAs, site planning, community involvement, systematic selection of MPAs, strategies and tools for planning and managing MPAs, and the legal basis of MPAs.Part II considers principles and mechanisms for planning and managing protected areas in four different environments: coral reefs, estuaries and lagoons, small islands, and beaches. Emphasis is on technical knowledge about particular habitats and how this knowledge is used to meet management objectives. We recognize that many MPAs are composed of two or more of these environments but the guidance for each can be combined in the MPA plan.Part III presents case histories covering a wide variety of MPA experience around the world to help protected area planners and managers carry out their tasks. The emphasis in each case history is on lessons learned that are of wide application. E-mail addresses of the authors are given to assist the reader in following up on case details. A "Guide to the Cases" is presented to enhance the reader's search for relevant items.In the selection of materials for this book we have given priority to the types of resource conservation problems faced by MPA planners and managers in subtropical and tropical countries where the need for assistance appears to be the greatest.In Parts I and II most of the material is based on written sources for which the specific references are listed alphabetically with date of publication in Part IV, References. Case Histories are individually referenced.