Reef Management

Management actions at local scales play an important role in building reef resilience and supporting the viability of local communities and reef-based industries. Local management strategies can also provide benefits to the broader ecosystem if they are targeted at sites that are important for system resilience, such as important sources of coral larvae or critical fish breeding areas.

The management of local sources of stress to reefs will often require active engagement with reef users and local communities to build understanding, support, and compliance. Including stakeholders in efforts to protect reefs strengthens local stewardship in support of shared conservation goals. ref

This section includes considerations that are applicable for many types of reef management strategies, including:

• How to adaptively manage reefs through change
• How to measure the effectiveness of management actions

Refer to the Coral Reef Resilience Online Course Lesson 6: Management Strategies for Resilience for more details on reef management strategies.

Local community training in Kenya. Photo © Ewout Knoester/REEFolution