Local approaches to biodiversity protection coupled with community1 -led, climate-resilient management are vital components of global marine biodiversity protection efforts, given the critical role local communities and municipal governments play in protecting their coastal natural resources. Nearshore territorial seas are rich with biodiversity and economic value, with 100% of the world’s mangroves and seagrass meadows and 83% of coral reefs contained there. Nearly 500 million people depend on the fish in these waters; coastal fisheries employ 60 million people and provide 40% of the global fish catch, including for local consumption. And yet, only 11% of territorial seas are protected to date and their conservation receives just 0.01% of global philanthropy. Local approaches, like Managed Access Areas with Reserves (MA+R), can integrate the needs of local communities by strengthening legal and functional access rights to fisheries resources while contributing to meeting targets in the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including 30×30. These local approaches also support national commitments, particularly when designated as an Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure (OECM). OECMs recognize the need for flexibility around country and community-specific commitments and interventions that are important for sustainable use and local livelihoods while still acknowledging and monitoring the biodiversity benefits. This resource will serve as a tool for implementers and policy makers to understand when certain local approaches, like MA+R, could be considered an OECM if legally designated as such. It will also outline the criteria needed to designate an MA+R area as an OECM in the future. It will further serve as a resource demonstrating the pathway for how local approaches, when designated as OECMs, could collectively significantly contribute towards achieving the global biodiversity targets while meeting the needs of people and nature.
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