Accelerating Coastal Community-led Conservation

The WWF Coastal Communities Initiative works with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, regional networks, government authorities and non-profits to accelerate and scale coastal community-led conservation.

Over the past few decades, WWF and some 700 local and international partners have supported coastal community-led conservation in 29 countries. Despite significant and wide-ranging successes, progress has been incremental. At this pace, we will not build the resilience of coastal communities and of the natural systems they depend upon. We need a global movement that can accelerate the implementation of successful coastal community-led conservation at the necessary scale.

Our Vision

Rebuilding our ocean's health through empowered coastal communities around the world. Resilient coastal communities managing their marine natural resources sustainably and delivering solutions that can be scaled up to improve ocean health.

Watch: Find out more about WWF’s efforts to support coastal community-led conservation
Samson Goulzar, Madagascar
It is not much about the ocean, it is in the way we use the ocean that has changed.
Samson Goulzar, President of the locally-managed marine area Beheloke, Madagascar

Who is this site for?

If you are a coastal community leader, marine conservation practitioner, government official or development funder and want to help drive coastal community-led conservation, this site is for you.

What we do

Our Impact

By 2030, the Coastal Communities Initiative will secure at least 4 million km2 of critical coastal ecosystems vital to the food security and livelihoods of millions of vulnerable people.

Since 2020, the Coastal communities initiative impact has been far-reaching:

 

Featured stories

Explore local stories and community-led solutions showing what the scaling approach of the Coastal Communities Initiative looks and feels like through the eyes of local communities.

Portraits of Change | David Shoshola

Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture are key to food security, livelihoods and a sustainable oceans future.

Fishing less and earning more

WWF is piloting a new kind of tourist experience that gives fisheries sustainability a boost

Subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates