A. IMMAs are NOT MPAs. An IMMA is an area identified as important for a marine mammal population. The purpose of identifying IMMAs is to attract the attention of policy- and decision-makers to the opportunity or need to ensure the favourable conservation status of marine mammals in that specific area through the implementation of the most appropriate management measures, and this can include an MPA designation. However, IMMAs per se are a knowledge product identified by science which is totally devoid of management implications.