A Participatory Approach:

By its very foundational mandate, PERSGA constitutes a regional community of institutions and individuals. Because of PERSGA’s transboundary approach to conservation, possibilities for collaboration as well as competition inherently exist, which creates both difficulties as well as opportunities for successful regional conservation efforts. PERSGA aims to create as productive environmental programmes as possible, by engaging all stakeholder interests in creative and dynamic dialogue, and carefully balancing national needs with regional environmental requirements.

Member States contribute by the gathering and sharing of information regarding their marine environments and resources, building public awareness, and engaging in other activities targeted at the public sector and overall conservation management issues within their territories. The private sector can contribute to regional awareness and capacity building by funding themed conferences and workshops of relevant concern, facilitating public-private partnerships for specific environmental management requirements (such as waste management infrastructure), sponsoring the provision of important technological tools (GIS systems, computers, boats, etc.), and securing private-sector ‘buy-in’ to strategic planning that reduces long-term risk to industry and marine transportation.