marine protected area
A marine protected area is a ritual of lip service to ocean resources by drawing lines on maps and declaring 'no trespassing beyond this point.' Instead of marine flora, vibrant signboards are erected, and in the distance tour boats stage their 'nature experiences.' Scientists tally schools of fish and stack reports, though no fish will ever read them. Flotsam ignores the boundaries, and only bureaucratic budgets and faint hopes glint dimly. The only thing truly protected is human vanity and self-satisfaction, not the fish.