Scientific communities and policy experts argue that marine protected areas (MPAs) will increase the potential of marine ecosystems to tackle climate change impacts. Yet to date, there has been little legal scholarship about how to design, manage, and implement climate-resilient MPAs. This Article underscores the importance of considering climate change in the design, planning, and implementation of MPAs, and identifies mechanisms for incorporating climate change elements into MPAs.

Salmon require cool temperatures to migrate and reproduce. The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires states to develop and implement water quality standards sufficient to produce fishable waters. Nearly a half-century after its 1972 enactment, the modern federal statute’s goal of fishable waters has yet to be achieved in the case of salmon streams.