Conservation objectives for marine protected areas are not always easy to develop due to lack of scientific data. Good objectives are important to inform the design of conservation measures in protected area and to allow for monitoring so achieving objectives can be determined through evaluation. Canada has learned lessons in developing good conservation objectives for MPAs over the years, including consideration of local and indigenous knowledge along with science data. This presentation will go over lessons learned and key features of good conservation objectives in order to allow for effective conservation in marine protected areas.