The Waitt Institute is a California-based non-profit that partners with committed governments and local communities to create and implement sustainable ocean plans to benefit people, the economy, and the environment. The Waitt Institute brings technical expertise, funding, and tools to support each country’s vision for their ocean, including Marine Spatial Planning, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Fisheries. The Waitt Institute is the founding member and organizing body of the Blue Prosperity Coalition, which currently has Blue Prosperity partnerships with the Azores, Bermuda, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

The Waitt Institute partners with committed governments and local communities to create and implement sustainable ocean plans to benefit people, the economy, and the environment. The Waitt Institute brings technical expertise, funding, a global network, and tools to support each country’s vision related to ocean health, sustainable economic growth, food security, and improved livelihoods. This initiative is led by governments and local communities who are committed to fully protecting 30% of their ocean territories. These plans aid countries in achieving their sustainable development goals and assist local communities in preserving their way of life. Our partnership model emphasizes community and stakeholder involvement, supports the policymaking process, and builds capacity for both immediate implementation and long-term success.The methodology varies to suit the specific needs of our partner governments. Typically, the process begins by convening local experts and decision-makers to guide the program. This is followed by comprehensive assessments, including ecological evaluations, habitat use and mapping, Blue Economy and Sustainable Fisheries assessments and legal reviews. Subsequently, a draft plan is formulated, which undergoes a consultative process to incorporate feedback from all pertinent stakeholders and the public. These steps result in the establishment of legislation or regulations for legal adoption of the plan, followed by its implementation and ongoing maintenance and enforcement. Stakeholder engagement is a critical and continuous component throughout these stages.

The Blue Prosperity Coalition (BPC) is a global network of NGOs, academic institutions, foundations, and other organizations working together to assist committed governments in developing and implementing sustainable ocean management to promote economic growth and prosperity while supporting sustainable management of marine resources and ecosystems.The BPC has current partnerships with the Azores, Bermuda, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

The Waitt Institute partners with governments and communities to support development and implementation of sustainable ocean plans through resources and technical expertise.  The Waitt Foundation provides funding through grants to marine conservation efforts around the globe.

The Waitt Institute only works with countries who have already committed to protecting their ocean and have asked for support to achieve those goals. The Waitt Institute provides technical expertise, tools, and funding, but it is ultimately up to the government to make final decisions about how they will manage their own ocean space. Each program is led by the government with support from a local team. While these programs are country-led, they have access to the BPC’s global network of experts including economists, scientists, lawyers, communications experts, philanthropists, NGOs, and universities.