Best Practices for Tribal Engagement in MPA Stewardship

October, 2022

A joint MPA Compliance Small Grant project between the Del Norte and Humboldt Collaboratives, North Coast Native Protectors, and RAM consulting resulted in the creation of the Best Practices for Tribal Engagement in Marine Protected Area Stewardship document. This document is intended to serve as a starting point for equitable engagement of Indigenous peoples within marine management and MPAs. It includes eight suggested practices compiled from lessons learned throughout a decade of relationship building with Indigenous peoples and Tribes across California, as well as conversations, interviews, and trainings held by and with Indigenous peoples throughout 2022. The document also includes a brief history of Indigenous injustice in the MPA designation process and resources for further exploration. 

This project is part of the MPA Collaborative Networks’ multi-year MPA Compliance Initiative and was entirely driven by local input through the Community Compliance Forums held in 2020 and subsequent collaborative meetings. It was made possible by a grant made through the Sustaining California’s Ocean program of Resources Legacy Fund.