This study was produced as part of the ongoing UN Food and Agriculture Organization‘s Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) Programme. This study reviews the status of marine protected areas (MPAs) and fish refugia in the Bay of Bengal and recommends priority interventions. One of the goals of MPAs is to enhance and sustain fisheries productivity and maintain marine biodiversity. By conducting the first regional review of MPAs across the eight Bay of Bengal countries, this study seeks to (1) provide baseline information necessary to build support for a more comprehensive approach to the establishment and management of MPAs across the region and (2) where possible, discuss current and potential linkages between MPAs and fisheries management in hopes of one day more effectively linking food security and conservation objectives. Methods include a detailed review of published, industry and government literature. In general, despite the need for marine and coastal protection, MPAs are not used consistently in the region. Terms, objectives, and levels of protection vary widely from country to country (though most countries do make use of standardized IUCN categories). Chronic challenges include a lack of basic social and ecological information that is needed for MPA design and management processes; jurisdictional overlap and ambiguity; a lack of monitoring and evaluation studies; and a shortage of funding that has bearing upon day-to-day management and enforcement at MPA site levels.