Participatory Marine Governance Analysis (PMGA) Handbook

This Participatory Marine Governance Analysis (PMGA) handbook offers a toolkit for learning from marine governance innovations through the participation of those involved in their implementation. It provides tools that analyse the enablers and barriers to the successful implementation of marine governance innovations.

Marine and coastal ecosystems are vital for the livelihoods, food security and well-being of millions of people worldwide. These ecosystems are under mounting pressure from climate change, pollution and an increasing demand for marine resources. Finding governance solutions that promote the sustainable use of marine resources by multiple users, enhance the well-being of coastal communities and protect marine ecosystems is an important global imperative. In other words, we need innovations in marine governance – the creation of new ideas for governing the marine environment and the process by which these ideas are adopted and adapted in new places.

Marine governance innovations can range from introducing new technologies or behavioural change initiatives, to establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) or networks of MPAs, to ecosystem and integrated management of entire seascapes. Much can be learnt from the innovations in marine governance that are occurring worldwide today in diverse contexts. Learning from these innovations can help to improve their future development, adaptation and scaleup to new contexts.

Firstly, the manual outlines relevant concepts, before introducing the PMGA process. Secondly, it presents three analytical tools: (i) Institutional Analysis; (ii) Innovation Histories; and (iii) Net-Map. The institutional analysis records the wider governance context within which the innovation is implemented, the innovation history learns from past processes of change in governance, and Net-Map analyses the current relationships and distribution of power within the governance system. In combination, these analytical tools support participants to identify opportunities to improve governance processes and outcomes in the future. As appendices, there are workshop agendas, interview protocols, research tips and ethics materials.