The book "Marine Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation" by Julian Roberts offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with the designation of Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSAs). It highlights recent developments within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the responses of individual member states that have undermined confidence in this concept. By examining the practices of coastal states in relation to PSSAs, the book illustrates both the value and the limitations of this approach. It serves as a kind of "reality check," questioning the inflated expectations surrounding PSSAs in the current debate and critically examining the reasons for designating such areas. Roberts argues that states may pursue PSSAs more for their symbolic value than for demonstrable ecological benefits.