Self-sustaining Marine Protected Areas
The marine conservation financing gap
Coral reefs and marine ecosystems
For lasting impact
Conservation preconceptions
Coastal communities
Impact-first solutions
Closely with local partners
Impact transparency
The blue economy
Self-sustaining Marine Protected Areas
The marine conservation financing gap
Coral reefs and marine ecosystems
For lasting impact
Conservation preconceptions
Coastal communities
Impact-first solutions
Closely with local partners
Impact transparency
The blue economy
Blue Alliance actively manages large Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to regenerate coral reefs and grow a blue economy that lifts surrounding fishing communities out of poverty in the world’s most biodiverse and resilient regions.
In parallel, we are implementing a proven financing model that enables large MPAs to secure sustainable revenue streams and gradually reduce dependence on donors.
Because local communities and the planet’s biodiversity are losing their coral reefs, we help both people and wildlife thrive, securing a healthy ocean for generations to come. Our approach shows how people and nature can thrive together in a shared seascape.
We’re focusing on the big-picture challenge of building effectively managed and self-sustaining large MPAs or seascapes, at scale.
Imagine a world where one million local fishers earn a sustainable income, where communities thrive, and where five per cent of the world’s coral reefs, once threatened, are teeming with life.
This is not just a dream, it is the vision of Blue Alliance.
Managing a large MPA requires financial resources and community buy-in. A local sustainable blue economy can achieve both. Our innovative approach merges effective day-to-day co-management of large MPAs and reef-positive businesses to alleviate poverty of local fishing communities around the MPAs.
The solution begins with governments agreeing to delegate the long-term management of large MPAs (more than hundreds of thousands of hectares) to Blue Alliance. Our government relationships took a decade to build. They give us legal authority and long-term permanence that no other NGO has replicated.
The next step is for the Blue Alliance business division to manage our “reef-positive businesses” in the area in community-based aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, ecotourism and blue carbon. By fostering a conservation-led economy, our blue economy social enterprises provide tangible socio-economic and employment benefits.
Our model is built for permanence. We begin with catalytic grant funding to establish MPA management and launch reef-positive businesses. As those businesses mature, their revenues progressively take over, funding rangers, science, community programmes, and enforcement without ongoing donor dependency.
Donor funding starts the engine. The reef and the economy around it keep it running.
We work in four fundamental and interrelated fields of operation, and we measure and report on our performance.
Every Blue Alliance large MPA is designed and managed to rewild ecosystems, improve food security, promote sustainable blue economy development for local communities, and enhance climate change resilience. Our experience has shown us that these goals are entirely compatible and achievable to create a successful seascape.
Currently, Blue Alliance manages over 3,000,000 hectares of large Marine Protected Areas. That’s 1.5% of the world’s coral reefs already coming back to life.
From regenerating overfished reef species and protecting coral reefs from destruction and pollution, our work extends to curbing illegal fishing practices, protecting endangered sea turtles and reducing threatened species bycatch. Our impacts are monitored and reported through 6 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) on nature, people and climate. All KPIs undergo annual verification and certification by CNRS ((Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), one of the largest scientific centres in Europe.
Ha of coral reef ecosystems managed for recovery
Ha of Mangrove forests being regenerated
Coastal community members with enhanced livelihoods
Threatened species being protected
New jobs created in our MPAs and reef-positive businesses
Reef-positive businesses in development
© Background image: Thomas Vignaud
Ha of vital coral reef ecosystem regenerated
Marine Protected Area networks actively managed under long-term management mandates
Enhanced livelihoods in coastal communities
Become a Blue Alliance partner and work with us to regenerate coral reef biodiversity and empower the lives of local communities. Help us manage vital Marine Protected Areas for the long term.
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