Common threats to marine habitats and resources in the areas we work include overfishing, destructive fishing (use of dynamite and poisons), sedimentation and pollution from development or industrial activities on land, physical damage from anchors and trampling by tourists and fishers, and coral extraction for building materials and souvenirs.

When implemented well, an LMMA strategy has the potential to give marine areas the chance to recover from fishing and other pressures. The main benefits that stakeholders see as a result of using this approach include:

• Improved habitat quality (coral cover, seagrass, mangroves)
  
• Increased fish population, reproduction and biomass
  
• Enhanced local capacity to manage their resources
  
• Increased environmental stewardship and community cohesion
  
• Increased income from marine resources

 
Fish catch in Papua, Indonesia. Photo by Cliff Marlessy.