This section of the toolkit presents information on a diversity of Marine Conservation Agreement (MCA) field projects and begins to establish an inventory of MCAs. The MCA field projects serve as examples of how and where in-water projects can be undertaken. Sample documents such as leases and deeds are provided for some projects. Relevant publications are also provided.

MCA Field Project Inventory
The inventory below represents a collection of known projects that meet the definition of an MCA. Our goal is to identify and inspire at least 500 MCA field projects throughout the world as a means to establish the validity, replicability, scope, scale and positive impact of MCAs. If you know of new field projects, or additional information regarding the projects already identified, that should be considered for inclusion in the inventory, please Contact Us.
Click on any column arrows to sort the data.
No. | Country | Project Site | Agreement Type | Status | Duration | Size (acres) | Type of Activity | Protected Marine Feature | Lead Organization |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Belize | Abalone Caye Island, Port Honduras | Management Agreement | Completed | 209,280 | Marine Reserve Management | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
2 | Belize | Shipstern Nature Reserve | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 5,400 | Nature Reserve Management | Saline Lagoon, Mangroves | International Tropical Conservation Foundation |
3 | Belize | Port Honduras | Memorandum of Under-standing | Operational | 102,400 | Marine Reserve Management | Toledo Institute for Development and Environment | ||
4 | Belize | Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes | Memorandum of Under-standing | Operational | 26,000 | Marine Reserve Management | Southern Environmental Association Belize/Friends of Nature | ||
5 | Belize | Sapodilla Cayes | Memorandum of Under-standing | Operational | 43,000 | Marine Reserve Management | Toledo Association for Sustainable Tourism and Empowerment | ||
6 | Chile | Navidad, Isla Juan Fernández | Management Agreement | Operational | Community Stewardship / MPA | Fish | Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile | ||
7 | Chile | Montemar | Concession | Operational | 3 | Research | Universidad de Valparaiso | ||
8 | Chile | Mehuin | Concession | Completed | Research | Universidad Austral | |||
9 | Chile | Las Cruces | Concession | Operational | 12 | Research, Preservation | Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile | ||
10 | Chile | Punta Coloso | Concession | Operational | 227 | Research | Minera Escondida Limitada | ||
11 | Chile | Lenga | Concession | Operational | 20 | Research | Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion | ||
12 | Chile | Antofagasta | Concession | Operational | 42 | Research | Universidad de Antofagasta | ||
13 | Chile | Herradura | Concession | Operational | 106 | Research | Universidad Catolica del Norte | ||
14 | Chile | Quintay | Concession | Operational | 1 | Research | Universidad Andres Bello | ||
15 | Chuuk | Epinup Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 25 years | 200 | Conservation Area Management | Mangroves | Seacology |
16 | Chuuk | Management Agreement | Concept | OneReef | |||||
17 | Colombia | Proposed | Community Stewardship / MPA | Conservation International | |||||
18 | Cook Islands | Manihiki Atoll | Management Agreement | Operational | 30 years | 72 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
19 | Ecuador | Galera-San Francisco | Management Agreement | Operational | Community Stewardship / MPA | Fish | Conservation International, NAZCA | ||
20 | Fiji | Coastal Villages | Commercial Production Agreement | Completed | Community Stewardship / LMMA | Nearshore Habitat | University of South Pacific – Fiji | ||
21 | Fiji | Dakuniba Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 24,711 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
22 | Fiji | Laselase Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 17,297 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
23 | Fiji | Levukai Daku Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 19,200 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
24 | Fiji | Lobau, Veivatuloa, Wailoaloa Villages | Management Agreement | Completed | 4,942 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
25 | Fiji | Marou, Malevu, Somosomo Villages | Management Agreement | 20 years | 9,884 | Fishing Preserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
26 | Fiji | Nacamaki Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 494,211 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
27 | Fiji | Naikorokoro Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 10,880 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
28 | Fiji | Nakaunasele Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 8,320 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
29 | Fiji | Navolau Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 370,658 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
30 | Fiji | Nukuvou Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 14,826 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
31 | Fiji | Sila Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 24,710 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
32 | Fiji | Viana Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 7,413 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
33 | Fiji | Vuna Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 1,483 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
34 | Fiji | Vuna Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 20 years | 1,527 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
35 | Fiji | Waisomo Village | Management Agreement | Completed | 5 years | 7,040 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
36 | Fiji | Yasawa I Rara Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 51,200 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
37 | India | Kavarathi Island | Management Agreement | Proposed | 10 years | 500 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
38 | India | Minicoy Island | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 2,471 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
39 | Indonesia | Papua | Lease | Operational | Aquaculture | Marine Area | Atlas South Seas Pearls | ||
40 | Indonesia | Papua | Lease | Operational | 25 years | 50,000 | Ecotourism/NTZ Creation | Fish & other Marine Organisms | Misool Ecoresort |
41 | Indonesia | Asmats | Management Agreement | Completed | 448,000 | Fishing Grounds Enforcment | Marine Fish | Seacology | |
42 | Indonesia | Bunaken | Management Agreement | 395 | Local Managed Marine Area Management | Marine Habitat | Seacology | ||
43 | Indonesia | Manado Tua | Management Agreement | Completed | 5 | No-take Zone Creation; Coral Reef Restoration | Coral Reefs | Seacology | |
44 | Indonesia | Manado Tua Satu Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 160 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
45 | Indonesia | Molas, Meras, Tongkeina, Bahowo Villages | Management Agreement | Completed | 160 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
46 | Indonesia | Pinasungkulan Village | Management Agreement | Completed | 36 | No-take Zone Creation | Mangroves, Coral Reefs | Seacology | |
47 | Indonesia | Pulau Banyak | Management Agreement | Proposed | 1,665 | No-take Zone Creation | Mangroves, Coral Reefs | Seacology | |
48 | Indonesia | Togean Islands | Management Agreement | Completed | 3,200 | No-take Zone Creation | Coral Reefs | Seacology | |
49 | Indonesia | Kofiau, Raja Ampat, Papua | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 41,360 | Marine Reserve Creation | Mangroves; coral reefs | Seacology |
50 | Indonesia | Palau, Helen Reef | Management Agreement | Initiated | 20 years | OneReef | |||
51 | Indonesia | Penemu and Bambu Conservation Area | MCA Contract | On-going | 25 years | 70,000 km2 | Marine Conservation Area (NTZ) Management | Marine Habitat | Sea Sanctuaries Trust |
52 | Kiribati | Phoenix Islands | License | Operational | 99,000,000 | MPA | Marine Habitat | New England Aquarium, Conservation International | |
53 | Kosrae | Lelu Island | Management Agreement | Operational | 20 years | 300 | Conservation Area Creation | Mangroves, Coral Reefs, Seagrass | Seacology |
54 | Marshall Islands | Ailuk Atoll | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 209 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
55 | Mexico | Baja California, Gulf of California | Lease | Initiated | Fishing Modifications | Vaquita | World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy | ||
56 | Mexico | Baja California, Gulf of California | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Initiated | Fish Reduction, No-trawl Zone Creation | Vaquita | World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy | ||
57 | Micronesia | Yap | Management Agreement | Concept | OneReef | ||||
58 | Palau | Ebiil Channel | Management Agreement | Completed | 2,560 | Conservation Area Management | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
59 | Palau | Ngemai Reef | Management Agreement | Completed | 256 | Conservation Area Management | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
60 | Palau | Ngardmau | Management Agreement | Completed | 618 | Conservation Area Management | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
61 | Papua New Guinea | Kimbe Bay | Management Agreement | Completed | 2 | No-take Zone Management | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
62 | Papua New Guinea | Kimbe Bay | Management Agreement | Completed | 75 | Locally-Managed Marine Area Expansion | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
63 | Papua New Guinea | Sariba Island | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 13 | Conservation Area Creation | Mangroves, Seagrass | Seacology |
64 | Philippines | Central Visayas | Management Agreement | Operational | 50 years | Community Stewardship | Mangroves | Philippines Department of Environment & Natural Resources | |
65 | Philippines | El Nido | Management Agreement | Completed | 2,000 | No-take Zone Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
66 | Philippines | El Nido | Management Agreement | Operational | 25 years | 470 | Marine Protected Area Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
67 | Philippines | Jandayan | Management Agreement | Completed | 150 | Marine Protected Area Creation | Mangroves, Coral Reefs, Seagrass | Seacology | |
68 | Philippines | Barangay San Pedro, Municipality of Biri, Northern Samar | Management Agreement | Operational | 25 | No-take Zone Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
69 | Pohnpei | Lenger Island | Management Agreement | Completed | 960 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology | |
70 | Spain | Canary Islands | Concession | Proposal | Ecotourism/NTZ | Bay | Canarian Association for a Sustainable Ocean | ||
71 | Spain | Santander and Camargo, Alday Inlet | Concession | Operational | 29 | Restoration | Intertidal Marsh Habitat | Naturaleza y Hombre Foundation | |
72 | Spain | Garraf | Concession | Proposed | 193 | Marine Park Creation | Artificial Reef | Acciónnatura | |
73 | Spain | Girona, Ses Negres | Management Agreement | Completed | No-take Zone Management | Nereo | |||
74 | Tanzania | Zanzibar, Chumbe | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 74 | Ecotourism/MPA | Coral Reefs | Chumbe Island Coral Park |
75 | Tanzania | Zanzibar, Southwest Coast | Management Agreement | Concept | 116,000 | Marine Protected Area Management | Coral Reefs | Chumbe Island Coral Park | |
76 | Thailand | Trang Province | Management Agreement | Completed | 4,040 | Habitat Protection | Mangroves, Seagrass | Seacology | |
77 | United States | Rhode Islands, Salt Ponds | Informal Agreement | Operational | Restoration | Shellfish & Seagrass | Salt Ponds Coalition | ||
78 | United States | California, Central Coast | Lease | Completed | 3 years | 1,200 | Research | Kelp/Fish | The Nature Conservancy |
79 | United States | California, Central Coast | Lease | Operational | Perpetual | Fishing Modification | Fish and Deepwater Habitat | The Nature Conservancy | |
80 | United States | Louisiana Coast | Lease | Concept | Restoration | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy | ||
81 | United States | Texas, Galveston Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 2,346 | Restoration | Shellfish & Seagrass | Galveston Bay Foundation, The Nature Conservancy |
82 | United States | Connecticut, Neck River | Lease | Operational | 5 years | 2 | Restoration | Shellfish | Madison Shellfish Commission |
83 | United States | Oregon, Netarts Bay | Lease | Proposal | Restoration | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy | ||
84 | United States | Oregon, Port of Alsea | Lease | Concept | Restoration | Estuary | The Nature Conservancy | ||
85 | United States | California, Richardson Bay | Lease | Operational | 50 years | 900 | Preservation | Estuary | Richardson Bay Audubon / California Audubon |
86 | United States | Florida, Sarasota Bay | Lease | Operational | Nature Preserve | Nearshore Habitat | Audubon of Florida | ||
87 | United States | Maine, Tauton Bay | Lease | Concept | Restoration | Eelgrass | University of Maine, Machias | ||
88 | United States | Washington, Woodard Bay | Lease | Operational | 10 years | 10 | Restoration | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy |
89 | United States | Alabama, Mobile Bay | Permits | Completed | Short-term | Restoration | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy | |
90 | United States | Rhode Island, Narragannsett Bay | Permits | Operational | 1 year | Restoration | Shellfish & Seagrass | Save The Bay, The Nature Conservancy | |
91 | United States | California, Central Coast | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Completed | Fish Reduction, No-trawl Zone Designation | Fish and Deepwater Habitat | The Nature Conservancy | ||
92 | United States | Massachusetts, Eastham | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | Protection | Intertidal Lands | The Nature Conservancy | |
93 | United States | New York, Great South Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 13,000 | Restoration | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy |
94 | United States | Connecticut, Long Island Sound | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Concept | Perpetual | Preservation | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy | |
95 | United States | Virginia, Outer Banks | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 300 | Restoration | Shellfish | The Nature Conservancy |
96 | United States | New York, Peconic Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | Protection | Estuarine Habitat | The Nature Conservancy | |
97 | United States | Washington, Port Susan Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 4,122 | Restoration | Nearshore Habitat | The Nature Conservancy |
98 | United States | Washington, Fidalgo Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 530 | Preservation | Estuarine Habitat | Skagit Land Trust |
99 | United States | California, San Francisco Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 1,000 | Restoration | Estuarine Habitat | Sonoma Land Trust |
100 | United States | California, San Francisco Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | Protection | Estuarine Habitat | Marin Rod & Gun Club | |
101 | United States | California, San Francisco Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | Protection | Estuarine Habitat | The Nature Conservancy | |
102 | United States | Massachusetts, Wellfleet Bay | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | 234 | Restoration | Shellfish | Massachusetts Audubon, The Nature Conservancy |
103 | Vanuatu | Dip Point, Wakon Community | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 25 | Conservation Area Creation | Brachish Sea Lake | Seacology |
104 | Vanuatu | Marou Community | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 32 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
105 | Vanuatu | Nasawa Community | Management Agreement | Operational | 15 years | 62 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
106 | Vanuatu | Pango Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 17 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
107 | Vanuatu | Sanoa Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 10 years | 12 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat | Seacology |
108 | Vanuatu | Sunae Village | Management Agreement | Operational | 11 years | 92 | Marine Reserve Creation | Marine Habitat, Mangroves | Seacology |
109 | United Kingdom | England, Wales and Northern Ireland | Purchase & Sale Agreement | Operational | Perpetual | Protection | Coastal Habitat | The National Trust | |
110 | Madagascar | Massif des Roses | 5 | Seasonal No Take Zone | Marine Habitat | Reef Doctor | |||
111 | Madagascar | Velondriake | 172,974 | No Take Zones | Coral Reefs, Mangroves, Seagrass, Lagoons, Beaches | Blue Ventures | |||
112 | Mozambique | North Quirimbas | Leased Management Rights | 56,834 | Marine Habitat | Maluane Initiative | |||
113 | Mozambique | Vilanculos | Leased Management Rights | 50 years | 19,768 | Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary | Marine Habitat | Vinanculos Coastal Wildlife Sanctuary | |
114 | Seychelles | Aride Island | Transfer of Ownership | 173 | No Take Zone | Island Conservation Society | |||
115 | Seychelles | Cousin Island | Transfer of Ownership | 2 | No Take Zone | Nature Seychelles | |||
116 | Tanzania | Mnemba Island | Leased Management Rights | 37 | Ecotourism | Reefs | &Beyond Africa | ||
117 | Tanzania | Misali Island | Leased Management Rights | 5,337 | Conservation | Misali Island Conservation Association | |||
118 | Tanzania | Mafia Island | Leased Management Rights | 151,970 | Monitoring | Turtle Conservation | Sea Sense | ||
119 | Indonesia | Gili Trawangan | Contract | Operational | Open ended | 255 | Fishing Restrictions | Coral Reefs | Gili Eco Trust |
120 | Malaysia | Sugud Islands | Lease | Operational | 30 years | 114,400 | Protected Area Management | Coral Reefs | Reef Guardians |
121 to 500 | To Be Identified |