Marine protected areas (MPAs) play a vital role in conserving and restoring marine ecosystems. They also provide significant co-benefits, such as improved fisheries management, boosted tourism, and enhanced resilience of coastal communities. However, ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of MPAs remains a challenge.
To address this, the Reef Resilience Network, in collaboration with the Blue Nature Alliance, has developed a new MPA Finance Toolkit to help MPA managers navigate funding opportunities and create sustainable financial models for their sites.
During the recent MPA Finance: First Steps for Marine Managers Webinar, Lihla Noori of the Blue Nature Alliance introduced the toolkit, offering practical guidance on how managers can begin exploring financing options. Allen Cedras, CEO of the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), shared his organization’s journey in MPA financing, detailing the transition from a government entity to a public-private enterprise and the introduction of a user fee system. Michael McGreevey, Senior Director of Conservation Finance at Conservation International and Blue Nature Alliance, provided global insights on the importance of innovative financing strategies for conservation.
Access the webinar recording and explore the new MPA Finance Toolkit on the Reef Resilience Network’s website: MPA Finance: First Steps for Marine Managers Webinar