A total of 15 marine protected areas (MPAs) within the MBRS region have been identified for special attention within the GEF-World Bank Conservation and Sustainable Management of the MBRS project.We were able to obtain detailed information on the current status of all MPAs except Punta de Manabique and Omoa-Baracoa, neither of which is yet formally established or under active management. Information came from detailed questionnaires provided to reserve managers. While there are clearly substantial differences among the reserves, three things stood out as widely representative. Their management operations are poorly financed and their staff lack equipment and facilities necessary for effective management. A review of current best practice for evaluating MPA management effectiveness reveals a predominant focus on the monitoring of the biophysical attributes of the non-human components of marine ecosystems.Recognizing that MPA management must be adaptive, a program to assess management effectiveness requires that a baseline of objective data be established for a carefully selected suite of evaluation criteria.RECOMMENDATION 1Make use of the SMP(Synoptic Monitoring Program) in all MPAs.Monitor the minimum suite of environmental variables established for the Synoptic: The resulting environmental database will provide several measures of management effectiveness in terms of its ability to preserve habitat quality.RECOMMENDATION 2Undertake more detailed monitoring of the abundance and health attributes of particularly valued or vulnerable ecosystem components when these are explicit targets of management.RECOMMENDATION 3Monitor reference sites outside MPAs.RECOMMENDATION 4Provide the necessary inputs of resources to the SMP (Synoptic Monitoring Program).RECOMMENDATION 5Management staff of each MPA should plan a deliberate test of the effectiveness of the biophysical metrics being monitored, and assessing the responsiveness of metrics to it.RECOMMENDATION 6Measure fishery benefits.RECOMMENDATION 7Measure tourism benefits.RECOMMENDATION 8Measure educational benefits.RECOMMENDATION 9Measure public opinion.RECOMMENDATION 10Measure management input and output statistics.