Securing Large Ocean Spaces: What It Takes to Monitor Compliance and Enforcement at Scale

Island nations are responsible for managing some of the world's largest ocean territories. These marine areas support fisheries, biodiversity, tourism, cultural heritage, livelihoods and national security, yet monitoring and protecting them remains a significant challenge.

During the Virtual Island Summit 2026, experts from the Waitt Institute, Global Fishing Watch, and the Regional Government of the Azores, the Marine Protected Area Collaborative Network and maritime enforcement organisations came together to discuss a critical question: What does it actually take to turn ocean protection commitments into protection that works on the water?

Moderated by Cory Pukini, Enforcement and Compliance Program Manager at the Waitt Institute, the session explored how island jurisdictions can strengthen compliance, monitoring and enforcement across vast marine areas. The discussion moved beyond traditional enforcement approaches and examined the wider systems needed to ensure long-term success.

The panel highlighted that successful marine protection depends on a combination of community engagement, voluntary compliance, technology, governance, legal frameworks and operational enforcement working together.

One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was that enforcement should not be the starting point. Calla Allison, Founder and Executive Director of the Marine Protected Area (MPA)Collaborative Network, argued that awareness and community participation are essential if marine protected areas are to succeed.

Many people want to follow regulations, but they first need to understand what those regulations are, why they exist and how they affect them. Outreach campaigns, educational programmes, signage, digital tools and local partnerships can often achieve far greater compliance than punitive measures alone.

The California experience demonstrated how local communities, non-profit organisations and existing education networks can become valuable partners in supporting marine protection efforts, particularly when government resources are limited. As Allison noted:

The discussion reinforced that community ownership and legitimacy are fundamental components of effective ocean governance.

Luis Bernardo Brito e Abreu, Advisor to the President of the Regional Government of the Azores and Coordinator of the Blue Azores program, shared lessons from one of the most ambitious marine conservation initiatives in the North Atlantic. The Blue Azores partnership, developed by the Regional Government of the Azores, the Waitt Institute and the Oceano Azul Foundation, has supported the creation of a marine protected area network that protects approximately 287,000 square kilometres of fully or highly protected waters, totaling 30% of their exclusive economic zone approaching one million square kilometres.

For island jurisdictions, the scale of this challenge is significant. Vast ocean territories often stretch far beyond the capacity of traditional patrol-based monitoring systems. The Azores experience highlighted the importance of combining political leadership, scientific evidence, technological tools and enforcement planning from the outset, rather than treating enforcement as an afterthought once protected areas are established.

Technology emerged as another major theme throughout the session. Dr. Tim White, Head of Analysis at Global Fishing Watch, explained how satellite technology and open-access data are transforming ocean monitoring by making information about human activity at sea more accessible than ever before.

These tools allow governments, researchers and enforcement agencies to identify patterns of activity, prioritise patrols and better understand what is happening in large ocean spaces that are often difficult to monitor. Rather than replacing enforcement personnel, technology helps make limited resources more effective by directing attention to areas where intervention is most needed.

The panel agreed that technology has become an essential component of modern maritime domain awareness, particularly for island nations managing extensive exclusive economic zones.

Technology and monitoring systems alone are not enough. Dr. Ian Ralby, President of Auxilium Worldwide, emphasised the importance of legal frameworks and governance systems that support compliance and enforcement objectives.

The discussion highlighted that successful enforcement requires clear legislation, appropriate penalties, institutional coordination and political commitment. Without these foundations, even the most advanced monitoring systems can struggle to deliver meaningful outcomes. Ralby summarised the broader objective by linking ocean governance directly to social and economic wellbeing:

This perspective broadened the conversation beyond conservation, positioning marine protection as an essential component of economic security, food systems and sustainable development.

A recurring message from the panel was that no single tool, agency or intervention can ensure effective marine protection. Successful compliance and enforcement depend on multiple elements working together:

For island governments managing ocean territories that are often hundreds or thousands of times larger than their land area, this integrated approach is becoming increasingly important.

The session demonstrated that protecting large ocean spaces is not simply about catching violations. It is about creating systems that encourage compliance, support stewardship and ensure that marine resources continue to provide economic, environmental and social benefits for future generations.

As island nations continue expanding marine protected areas and strengthening blue economy strategies, the lessons shared during this discussion provide valuable insights into how ambitious ocean commitments can be translated into measurable action.