Enabling inclusive ocean conservation: Taiwan's marine OECM Framework

Abstract

Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) have emerged internationally as an alternative and more inclusive pathway to address the global biodiversity crisis. Despite OECMs being essential to achieving the 30 & times; 30" global target marine OECM (mOECM) recognition remains largely unrealized. This study addresses this gap by investigating how enabling conditions for mOECM recognition can be strengthened through participatory approaches. Taiwan serves as the case study for this investigation having recently enacted a legally binding mOECM framework in July 2025. Employing a combination of literature review and a participatory workshop this study examines Taiwan's emerging framework assesses stakeholder perceptions and categorizes spatial areas of interest to reveal key governance concerns. The results indicate that participant-nominated areas are highly concentrated in sites associated with the marine economy. Consequently this study advances the conceptualization of mOECMs through the lens of adaptively managed human-nature coexistence within the blue economy. Furthermore it discusses the potential of mOECM recognition to serve as a bridging governance institution to mediate inherent sustainable development conflicts. The findings present enabling conditions including conceptual clarification and capacity building standardized biodiversity assessment procedures and the creation of incentives to reduce management burdens. These results offer valuable lessons for governments and communities seeking to minimize implementation friction while ensuring equitable and verifiable outcomes in national mOECM frameworks worldwide."