Melanesian Ocean Sovereignty in Action

The Melanesian Ocean Reserve is an Indigenous-led, multi-national framework for ocean governance that is grounded in customary authority and keeps decision-making in the hands of those whose lives and cultures are tied to the sea. Already in implementation across Melanesia , it is led by national governments of Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu aligning policy, communities, and ocean management across one of the world’s most significant marine regions. 

The Reserve operates across the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), territorial, and archipelagic waters of participating sovereign nations, connecting a vast and culturally significant ocean region through coordinated governance and implementation.

The Melanesian Ocean Reserve is not a single Marine Protected Area. It brings together and strengthens existing systems, including:

• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

• Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs)

• Community-based marine management systems

Aligned with global frameworks such as Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), MOR provides a coordinated national and regional structure that:

• Strengthens existing protections

• Reduces fragmentation

• Supports long-term, scalable ocean management

This approach connects community-level stewardship with national policy and regional coordination — ensuring that local efforts are supported, sustained, and expanded.

It demonstrates that Indigenous custodianship is not only enduring, but also actively guiding large-scale ocean governance in practice.

Exploring the Melanesian Ocean Reserve