Protect and restore: integrating marine management to secure the future of coastal ecosystems
We must integrate effective protection with scalable restoration to ensure resilient coastal ecosystems. We identify five challenges, including unequal ecosystem coverage, spatial protections that are weak or centered offshore, compartmentalized restoration efforts, and policies that are not fit for purpose, and propose actionable solutions for scaling effective marine conservation. Emphasizing underserved habitats like kelp forests and seagrasses, we call for integrated, equitable, and community-supported strategies that align with global agendas and promote future coastal ecosystems.
Authors
- Coralie Palmer
- Adriana Vergés (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3507-1234)
- Aaron M. Eger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0687-7340)
- Thomas Dallison (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7662-0220)
- Claire Colegrove (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8177-2536)
- Margaux A.A. Monfared
- Lydia Koehler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1572-8558)
- Beth Polidoro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4361-0189)
- Thomas A. Worthington (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8138-9075)
- Tristin Anoush McHugh
- Nipuni Perera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2710-3363)
- P. van Eijk
- Deirdre Brannigan
Institutions
- The Nature Conservancy (US)
- Wetlands International (NL)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Cerebral Palsy Alliance (AU)
- Indianapolis Zoo (US)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- The Nature Conservancy (CO)
- The Navigator (Portugal) (PT)
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (CH)
- Arizona State University (US)
- RMIT University (AU)
- University of Plymouth (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Ocean Sustainability
- Published
- 2025-11-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00168-9
- Primary Topic
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00