Connecting Across Oceans: Big Ocean at UNOC3 and the Southeast Asia LSMPA Workshop

The second half of last year offered opportunities for Big Ocean to step out from behind our screens and into rooms filled with practitioners, partners, and policymakers.

Through our participation at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) and the Southeast Asia Large-Scale Marine Protected Area Workshop, we were reminded that while our sites are geographically distant, our challenges — and our aspirations — are deeply connected.

Big Ocean at UNOC3: Bringing LSMPA Voices into the High Seas Conversation

At UNOC3, the BBNJ agreement permeated every conversation. Discussions around the future of ocean governance beyond national jurisdictions — the High Seas — focused on what effective protection will require in practice.

Managers of large-scale marine protected areas have decades of lived experience working across vast, remote ocean spaces. Many of the logistical, political, and operational challenges now being discussed in relation to the High Seas are challenges LSMPAs navigate every day. UNOC3 provided an opportunity to bring that practical perspective into the conversation.

A highlight of the week was co-hosting a breakfast focused on these intersections — a space for partners, practitioners, and policymakers to have an honest conversation about what LSMPA experience can offer to emerging High Seas protection efforts. The discussion underscored that the knowledge already exists within the LSMPA community, and it has much to contribute to this next chapter of ocean governance.

Across UNOC3, we connected with Indigenous leaders, government representatives, NGOs, and site managers from around the world — strengthening relationships and ensuring that the lived experience of LSMPA management was part of the broader dialogue.

Southeast Asia LSMPA Workshop: Learning Across Regions

After UNOC3, we had the privilege of co-hosting the Southeast Asia LSMPA Workshop — a gathering focused on answering exploratory questions about the practical realities of managing large, remote marine protected areas in Southeast Asia.

This workshop offered something uniquely valuable: time and space for managers to speak candidly with one another about what is working, what is not, and where collaboration can make the greatest difference.

Discussions centered on:

  • Enforcement and monitoring across vast ocean spaces

  • Community engagement and cultural considerations in remote areas

  • Political and governance challenges unique to LSMPAs

  • Opportunities for shared learning across regions

The parallels between sites in Southeast Asia and those in the Big Ocean network were striking. Despite differences in geography and governance, many of the management challenges — and innovative solutions — were remarkably similar.

Why These Gatherings Matter

Events like these are opportunities to listen, build trust, and ensure that the experiences of LSMPA managers are present in broader ocean dialogues.

They help Big Ocean:

  • Stay connected to emerging global conversations

  • Bring new ideas and practices back to our community

  • Strengthen relationships with regional and global partners

  • Identify opportunities for future collaboration and exchange

We are grateful for the time spent with colleagues at UNOC3 and the Southeast Asia LSMPA Workshop and look forward to continuing these conversations.

Jonah Pasion