Representatives from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Vietnam, and the Solomon Islands — from government, academe, and NGOs — gathered in Iloilo City for the Asia Regional Large-Scale MPA Workshop, organized by ZSL Philippines with the Blue Nature Alliance and Big Ocean, to share insights and advance science-based, community-driven marine conservation. Photo from ZSL Philippines.
The Zoological Society of London-Philippines (ZSL), in collaboration with the Blue Nature Alliance (Alliance), and regional partners from the government, academia, and non-governmental organizations recently convened in Iloilo City for the Asia Regional Large-Scale Marine Protected Area (LSMPA) Workshop, which was held as the world races to protect 30% of its oceans by 2030. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss community-driven, science-based approaches to large-scale marine protection.
The two-day workshop brought together representatives from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Vietnam, and the Solomon Islands to discuss opportunities and challenges in ocean protection at scale, from policy gaps and governance issues to climate impacts, illegal fishing, and transboundary protection. It was co-hosted by Big Ocean, a peer-learning network created by and for managers of large-scale marine areas, with technical and financial support from the Alliance, a global partnership aiming to conserve 18 million square kilometers of ocean.
“With the highest nearshore marine biodiversity in the world, Asia has long been at the forefront of coastal protection,” said Laure Katz, Executive Director of the Alliance. Building on this leadership, the workshop addressed the urgency to extend marine protection to areas beyond 12 nautical miles through advancing science-policy-community interrelationships, preparing the foundations for an Asia Regional LSMPA Community of Practice, and developing a roadmap for large-scale marine protection.
Advancing Regional Collaboration in Conservation
The workshop underscores ZSL Philippines’ leadership in science-based conservation and demonstrates how multi-sector, multi-country collaboration, supported by BNA, can accelerate progress toward the 30×30 target.
The Alliance believes that partnership is key to advancing ocean conservation. “The Blue Nature Alliance is working with over 130 partners globally to advance ocean conservation in 5% of the world’s ocean as a significant contribution to the global 30×30 goal,” said Katz.
Representatives from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Vietnam, and the Solomon Islands, including government officials, academics, and NGO members, gathered during the Asia Regional Large-Scale MPA Workshop at Courtyard by Marriott in Iloilo City to share insights and discuss science-based, community-driven strategies for large-scale marine conservation. Photo from ZSL Philippines.
Participants collectively agreed that the main pressures on Asia’s marine ecosystems are pollution and climate change, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, sea-level rise, and habitat destruction.
They also emphasized key recommendations, including aligning marine conservation with food security objectives, developing long-term and equitable financing mechanisms with government support, harmonizing ocean-related policies for easier adoption, and enhancing public participation in conservation. These efforts showcase Asia’s ingenuity in building a strong foundation for marine protection.
“The potential for Asia is huge. It can be a trailblazer, creating a ‘Big Ocean 2.0,’ leading the second wave of large-scale protection, and showing the world that fisheries, food security, and conservation can be addressed together,” said Naiʻa Lewis, Director of Big Ocean.
Philippine Rise: One of Asia’s Most Ambitious Conservation Efforts
The proposed Philippine Rise Ocean Conservation Area, implemented by ZSL, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Fisheries Management Area 1, and the Alliance, would span approximately 150,000 square kilometers or 7.5% of the Philippine waters, potentially making it Asia’s largest single marine protected area protecting biodiversity while supporting long-term food security.
During the Asia Regional Large-Scale MPA Workshop held at Courtyard by Marriott in Iloilo City, Edwina Garchitorena, Country Director of ZSL Philippines, emphasized the shift toward large-scale marine protected areas, acknowledging the challenges from community understanding to governance alignment while committing to achieving meaningful impact. Photo from ZSL Philippines.
“The thinking around marine protected areas has long been at a much smaller scale,” said Edwina Garchitorena, Country Director of ZSL Philippines. “We know the challenges remain—from community understanding to governance alignment—but we also know the impact will be there. We are committed to helping make this shift happen.”
“The movement for large-scale protection with comprehensive solutions both nearshore and offshore has started in Asia with governments, particularly in the Philippines and Indonesia, taking bold steps in turning commitments into action,” added Katz.
Toward a Collective Path for Ocean Protection
The workshop demonstrated that, when based on science, policy, community involvement, and international cooperation, large-scale marine protection is becoming more and more possible. According to Katz, “the Asia Regional LSMPA Workshop is the beginning of a meaningful journey to inspire bold action for marine protection for the benefit of people and nature.”
In order to accomplish the worldwide 30×30 ocean preservation target, ZSL will continue to advance initiatives to enhance large-scale marine governance and organize collective action in collaboration with the Alliance, Big Ocean, and regional partners.
