Book Chapter
As the ocean economy expands, so do threats to those fighting to protect marine environments and human rights. Ocean defenders—including small-scale fishers, Indigenous peoples, women, and youth—face criminalization, violence, and dispossession. Their struggles are deeply tied to governance failures, unchecked corporate power, and weak human rights protections.
In this new book chapter, “Ocean Governance and the Protection of Ocean Defenders,” we outline a research agenda to address these pressing challenges. We focus on three key themes:
🔹 Ocean Governance & Defenders: How governance frameworks enable or hinder justice, environmental protection, and ocean defenders’ rights.
🔹 Human Rights & Ocean Defenders: The effectiveness of legal frameworks in ensuring access to information, participation, justice, and protection of customary rights.
🔹 Experiences & Protection of Ocean Defenders: Understanding the risks defenders face, the role of allyship, and strategies to strengthen their political autonomy and safety.
We need co-developed, action-oriented research that safeguards ocean defenders while driving meaningful policy change. This is not just about research—it’s about justice, accountability, and ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for ocean-dependent communities.
