Adequate staffing is one of the most important factors in realizing truly effective marine protections and, as nations take action towards 30x30 and new area-based protections are established around the world, a substantial increase in human, technical, and institutional capacities for marine management will be required to ensure these protections are delivering their promised ecological and socio-economic benefits.

The Blue Nature Alliance, in partnership with the Marine Conservation Institute (MPAtlas), IUCN World Commission on Marine Protected Areas, eOceans, and Leibniz-IZW, has launched a study to assess the current state of the global MPA workforce and identify opportunities to address capacity gaps. Recognizing that the world needs a massive increase of skilled, high-quality jobs to manage and enforce MPAs effectively, the study aims to identify how many people work in MPAs, the challenges they face, and solutions to build a workforce capable of truly managing a global MPA network.

To learn more about the study, you may view the recent webinar The Global MPA Workforce – Building the Backbone of 30x30 and visit https://www.eoceans.org/mpa-workforce-study-2025-about. Interested participants are invited to complete the voluntary survey to share their input.

For more information, please contact Lihla Noori: lnoori@conservation.org

Words by Madeline Beattie; Photo Credit: Georgina Goodwin/Studio Silverback

About the project

The Blue Nature Alliance aims to catalyze 18 million square kilometers of ocean conservation area in collaboration with governments, NGOs, Indigenous peoples and local communities, ocean conservation experts, scientists, communities of practice, and financial strategist. Working in partnership at all levels – from local to national leadership – we create and implement bold, transformative plans at scale. The Blue Nature Alliance brings together the technical expertise, financial support, global network, and lessons learned to achieve clear, shared, and time-bound goals for establishing or expanding ocean conservation areas and improving management or strengthening levels of protection in existing protected areas.