From Science to Practice: Integrating Evidence for Marine Protected Area Network Design in ASEAN

The ASEAN ENMAPS Workshop for Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network Design served as a regional platform to bridge scientific research and practical marine conservation planning across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. As the ASEAN ENMAPS Project transitions from generating scientific evidence under Component 1 to implementing improved MPA management and network plans under Component 2, the workshop brought together scientists, government agencies, technical consultants, and project implementers to consolidate ecological, fisheries, governance, socioeconomic, and safeguards information into preliminary MPA network designs. By integrating multiple datasets through participatory mapping and technical discussions, the workshop produced science-based, stakeholder-informed spatial blueprints that will guide national validation, site-level consultations, and future implementation of functional MPA networks across four ASEAN Large Marine Ecosystems.

 The project 𝘌𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘈𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘚𝘌𝘈𝘕 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯 (𝘈𝘚𝘌𝘈𝘕 𝘌𝘕𝘔𝘈𝘗𝘚) aims to improve MPA network management in key Large Marine Ecosystems across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. It applies science-based strategies to conserve biodiversity and sustain fisheries. The project also aims to strengthen governance, build the capacity of stakeholders, promote knowledge sharing, and advance sustainable financing for long-term conservation. ASEAN ENMAPS is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme through the funding of the Global Environment Facility, and with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity as the executing agency.

Southeast Asia’s marine ecosystems are ecologically interconnected, but their management remains largely organised around national, provincial, and local administrative boundaries. This creates a transboundary management challenge because ecological processes such as larval dispersal, fisheries movements, and habitat connectivity extend beyond individual marine protected areas (MPAs) and jurisdictions. As a result, isolated, site-based management may not adequately address the ecological processes that sustain biodiversity, fisheries productivity, and ecosystem resilience across shared Large Marine Ecosystems.

The ASEAN ENMAPS Project addresses this challenge across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, where differences in institutional arrangements, legal and policy frameworks, management capacities, data availability, and stakeholder priorities complicate the development of coherent MPA networks. Although the project has generated substantial scientific and technical information, including connectivity modelling, fisheries assessments, biodiversity inventories, governance analyses, socioeconomic studies, and safeguards assessments, these datasets were developed through different disciplines and methodologies and often at different spatial scales. Integrating them into a common planning framework therefore presents a significant technical and institutional challenge.

A further challenge is translating scientific evidence into management decisions that are practical, locally appropriate, and socially acceptable. Ecological connectivity models remain constrained by available species and habitat data, while knowledge gaps persist on fisheries dynamics, habitat conditions, and connectivity pathways in some sites. At the same time, proposed MPA networks need to account for livelihoods, stakeholder interests, governance arrangements, gender considerations, and environmental and social safeguards.

The workshop therefore addressed the need for a coordinated, participatory mechanism through which countries and stakeholders could jointly interpret scientific evidence and develop preliminary MPA network configurations. These configurations will require further national validation and stakeholder consultation to ensure that regional connectivity considerations are effectively aligned with national policies, local management realities, and the interests of communities dependent on marine resources.

The workshop adopted a science-to-practice approach that integrated ecological, governance, and social evidence into a common planning process. Prior to the workshop, a dedicated Mapping Phase consolidated outputs from connectivity modelling, fisheries assessments, biodiversity inventories, governance analyses, Strategic Environmental and Social Assessments (SESA), perception mapping, and other technical studies into harmonized geospatial layers.

During the two-day workshop, participants first reviewed the scientific findings generated under Component 1. Presentations covered larval dispersal and ecological connectivity, fisheries profiles, resource inventories, governance and livelihood assessments, climate vulnerability, safeguards, and marine monitoring technologies. These presentations established a shared understanding of the scientific basis for MPA network design.

The second phase focused on translating these datasets into practical management options. National teams from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand worked alongside GIS specialists and technical advisers to overlay ecological connectivity, biodiversity, fisheries, governance, and stakeholder information onto preliminary maps. Through facilitated discussions and iterative refinement, participants identified priority conservation areas, ecological corridors, governance arrangements, and implementation considerations that formed the initial blueprint for MPA network development.

Key Findings

The workshop demonstrated that effective MPA network design requires the integration of multiple knowledge systems rather than reliance on ecological data alone.

Larval connectivity modelling identified ecologically important source and sink reefs that can guide the placement and configuration of MPAs and marine corridors. Seasonal oceanographic variation and local habitat conditions significantly influence connectivity patterns, highlighting the need for adaptive and site-specific management.

Fisheries assessments showed consistent dominance of medium-sized reef-associated fish species across project sites while also demonstrating the value of incorporating life history characteristics, juvenile recruitment, and fisheries information into connectivity analyses.

Governance, socioeconomic, and safeguards assessments revealed that ecological connectivity alone is insufficient for successful implementation. Effective MPA networks require supportive governance systems, meaningful stakeholder participation, livelihood opportunities, gender-responsive approaches, and conflict-sensitive planning.

The workshop also highlighted the value of digital tools such as the Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager Platform for monitoring vessel activity, improving enforcement planning, and supporting evidence-based decision making.

Most importantly, the integration of ecological, social, governance, and spatial datasets enabled participants to produce preliminary network configurations that are scientifically robust while remaining practical and socially acceptable for implementation within national contexts.

What Worked Well

The workshop successfully created a common platform where scientists, government agencies, consultants, and project implementers could jointly interpret complex datasets rather than working in disciplinary silos.

The Mapping Phase significantly improved discussions by converting multiple technical studies into integrated spatial products that participants could collectively analyse and refine.

The workshop effectively combined regional scientific expertise with national and site-level knowledge, allowing technical findings to be interpreted within local governance and management realities.

Interactive breakout sessions encouraged country teams to co-develop network proposals instead of simply reviewing externally prepared recommendations. This strengthened ownership of the outputs and ensured that proposed network configurations reflected national priorities and operational realities.

The combination of ecological science, socioeconomic information, governance assessments, and safeguards considerations produced a more balanced and implementable foundation for future MPA network planning.

Science becomes more valuable when translated into practical planning tools that decision makers can readily interpret and apply.

Integrated spatial products provide an effective mechanism for bringing together diverse disciplines and facilitating collaborative decision making.

Ecological connectivity should be complemented by governance, socioeconomic, cultural, and institutional analyses to produce MPA networks that are both ecologically functional and socially sustainable.

Early engagement among scientists, government agencies, technical consultants, and implementers helps build shared understanding of technical findings and reduces the disconnect between research outputs and implementation.

Participatory interpretation of scientific information increases ownership among national implementing agencies and improves the likelihood that scientific recommendations will be incorporated into management planning.

Challenges and Limitations

The workshop also highlighted several limitations that require further attention.

Ecological connectivity models remain constrained by available biological information and currently rely on generalized assumptions for many species. Additional species-specific data and higher-resolution modelling would improve future analyses.

Knowledge gaps remain in several project sites, particularly regarding ecological connectivity pathways, habitat condition, fisheries dynamics, and long-term monitoring data.

Differences in data availability, institutional arrangements, and policy frameworks across the three participating countries require country-specific approaches to implementation while maintaining regional consistency.

Some governance and socioeconomic studies are still ongoing, meaning that future iterations of the MPA network designs will need to incorporate additional information as it becomes available.

The preliminary network configurations developed during the workshop still require validation through national consultations and stakeholder engagement before implementation.

Replication Potential

The workshop model can be replicated in other large marine ecosystems and transboundary conservation initiatives that require the integration of multiple scientific disciplines into practical management planning.

The approach demonstrates how connectivity modelling, fisheries science, biodiversity assessments, governance analyses, safeguards, and stakeholder knowledge can be systematically integrated into a common spatial planning framework.

The structured progression from data generation, mapping, technical validation, collaborative design, and national consultation provides a replicable methodology for developing science-based MPA networks in other regions.

The process is also adaptable to different governance contexts because it combines regional scientific guidance with country-led validation and site-level stakeholder participation.