Why does ocean governance matter for Liberia, and how can communities, institutions, and citizens work together to protect coastal and marine resources while supporting sustainable blue economy development?

The module will focus on practical ocean governance and community-level action. The course will help participants understand how Liberia’s ocean and coastal resources are governed, who is responsible for different aspects of marine and coastal management, how laws and institutions function, and how communities, students, civil society, local authorities, and early-career professionals can contribute to improved ocean protection. It will focus more directly on ocean governance in practice. Liberia’s coastal and marine environment faces growing pressures from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, marine pollution, mangrove degradation, coastal erosion, weak waste management, climate-related coastal risks, and limited public understanding of institutional responsibilities.

A practical governance-focused course is therefore needed to help participants understand not only the challenges facing Liberia’s ocean, but also the systems, laws, institutions, and community actions required to address them. The course will explain ocean governance in simple and locally relevant terms, using Liberia-based examples, applied case studies, group exercises, and practical action planning.

• Explain ocean governance in simple terms and relate it to Liberia’s coastal and marine context;
• Identify the main institutions involved in ocean, fisheries, maritime, coastal, environmental, and community-level governance;
• Understand the basic relevance of the Law of the Sea, territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone, marine protected areas, and national environmental responsibilities;
• Describe key governance challenges affecting Liberia’s ocean, including illegal fishing, pollution, weak enforcement, erosion, mangrove loss, and poor coastal planning;
• Explain how coastal communities, youth, women, civil society, and local leaders can contribute to ocean protection;
• Develop a simple community ocean governance plan linked to a real coastal or marine issue.