A Private Sector Approach: Conservation Agreements in Support
                                                of Marine Protection

Workshop Overview

Workshop Program

The entire workshop program is available in PDF format. Download the entire document or a portion:

• Program Guide (1,924k)
• Summary Agenda (55k)
• Detailed Agenda (63k)
• Part 1: Tuesday—Opening (250k)
• Part 2: Tuesday—Asia-Pacific (533k)
• Part 3: Wednesday—Americas (682k)
• Part 4: Wednesday—Breakouts (145k)
• Part 5: Wednesday—Tools (41k)
• Part 6: Thursday—Work Sessions (71k)
• Participants & Additional Material (344k)

In June 2008, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Conservation and Community Investment Forum (CCIF), and Conservation International (CI) convened an invitational three-day workshop of U.S. and international experts to assess how conservation agreements can contribute to protecting the world's oceans and coasts. For centuries, private, for-profit entities have entered into agreements and acquired rights to marine areas and resources for a wide range of purposes such as marinas, utility lines, gravel mining, aquaculture, and oil extraction. Also, in many parts of the world, marine tenure systems are such that communities and entities like fishing cooperatives have rights to marine places and resources. Conservation organizations have now demonstrated that it is possible for non-profit entities to acquire similar rights to marine areas for purposes that improve and protect the environment. While this strategy is underutilized, the potential for its application is broad and significant.

Over the past several years, non-profit organizations, both big and small, have assessed and taken advantage of opportunities to acquire rights and management responsibilities to lands and resources lying within ocean and coastal waters through fee-title acquisitions and less-than fee-title leases, licenses, easements, management agreements, and concessions. Through these activities conservation organizations have directly or indirectly acquired rights and responsibilities over specific geographic areas (such as under water land, the water column, and water surface), resource harvesting (such as fish and kelp), and the ability to access resources (such as equipment and boats). These acquisitions have protected important marine biodiversity and ecosystems while positioning conservation organizations as vested stakeholders with governments and communities responsible for decision-making. Becoming “vested stakeholders” better positions conservationists to advance broader ocean management strategies such as marine spatial planning and ecosystem-based management. In addition, local communities often support and benefit from these efforts due to on-going engagement, alternative employment opportunities, and improved living standards.

Workshop Goals

The goals of the workshop were to develop a long-term vision of strategy success; identify relevant opportunities, organizations, and stakeholders; determine needed action, support, and funding; and initiate global recognition and acceptance of private marine conservation agreements.

Immediate Workshop Outcomes

The workshop will create a network of entities involved with and interested in private marine conservation agreements and will develop a publication from the workshop findings on the role of conservation agreements in marine protection and management at local and regional scales.

Participants

Approximately 55 participants gathered from U.S.-based and international nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, foundations, and key management agencies.