Time-Area Closure

A time-area closure bars fishing in a defined area during a defined period, combining the spatial and temporal tools into one measure. It protects a place when it matters most, such as a spawning ground during the spawning season or a nursery during recruitment, then reopens both the area and the window. Dynamic ocean management extends the idea with near-real-time closures that move with bycatch hotspots. RFMOs use time-area closures to limit juvenile tuna catch, and the design differs from a permanent no-take zone, which closes a place year-round.