The project Effectively Managing Networks of Marine Protected Areas in Large Marine Ecosystems in the ASEAN Region (ASEAN ENMAPS) is a five-year project that aims to improve the management and governance of marine protected areas (MPAs) and its associated marine corridors in four large marine ecosystems (LMEs) in the ASEAN region (i.e. Bay of Bengal, Indonesian Seas, South China Sea, and Sulu-Celebes Sea). The Project uses science-based approaches through integrated coastal management (ICM), marine spatial planning (MSP), and ecosystems approach to fisheries management (EAFM) to expand marine corridor protection. It builds on national initiatives with strong upscaling focus as it engages with ASEAN working groups and LME cooperative governance, while leveraging complementary investments across the region. Through these approaches, the project intends to enable the target LMEs to have the capacity to support sustainable fisheries for the region. 

The project began in March 2024 and will run up to March 2029 in 11 pilot sites within the three participating ASEAN Member States of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. 

Project Results-Based Framework

Efforts to promote conservation through integrated coastal management, and marine spatial planning are progressing in the ASEAN region in terms of policy, planning, and implementation.

However, effective multi-stakeholder collaboration remains a challenge, which hinders the realisation of these conservation investments.

Barriers and causal pathways

Theory of Change

Project Information

ASEAN ENMAPS is designed to address the threats facing the coastal and marine environment in the ASEAN region by facilitating transformative changes in the management of MPAs and other coastal and marine resources in ASEAN LMEs. The project strategy has a strong upscaling focus as it engages with ASEAN working groups and LME cooperative governance, while leveraging complementary investments across the region.