Community-Led Marine Protected Area Expansion and Legal Reform for 30×30 in Senegal

Senegal has accelerated its progress toward the 30×30 target by expanding marine protected area (MPA) coverage from about 1 percent to approximately 5 percent of its exclusive economic zone, and by developing legal and policy reforms to recognize community-managed conservation areas (OECMs). The country emphasizes community participation, co-management of marine resources, and participatory mapping and zoning, supported by forthcoming biodiversity legislation and revision of its national biodiversity strategy.

Community Governance and Legal Reform in Senegal’s Marine Sector

Senegal’s move toward achieving the 30×30 goal is characterized by significant activity in the marine domain alongside policy innovation. Through the Direction des Aires Marines Communautaires Protégées (DAMCP), created in 2012, Senegal has substantially increased marine protected area coverage. At the time of DAMCP’s creation the network covered about 310,000 hectares; by 2023 this had grown to around 739,000 hectares, bringing marine protection from about 1 percent to close to 5 percent of the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Key to this growth has been strong involvement of local fishing and coastal communities who participate in data collection, zoning, and planning processes. Examples such as the Aire Marine Communautaire Protégée du Gandoul highlight how participatory mapping, zoning, and community governance translate into formal recognition of community-led conservation areas. In this case, communities in the rural municipality of Djirnda (Fatick Region) undertook participatory diagnostics, data collection, and zonation, and then developed and implemented a management plan for about 321 km² of mixed island, mangrove, and marine habitat.

The institutional context is supported by the Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Transition écologique, which is advancing a draft Law on Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas aimed at modernizing governance of protected areas and formally recognizing Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs). The national biodiversity strategy is also under revision to align with post-2020 global biodiversity targets and integrate community-based conservation and co-management frameworks. Senegal’s participatory model is reinforced by its membership in regional networks such as the Réseau des Aires Marines Protégées de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (RAMPAO), which facilitates exchange of governance experiences.

Outcomes and Lessons

Senegal’s experience demonstrates that rapid marine coverage gains can be achieved when community-based governance, participatory mapping, and legal reform are integrated. The growth from roughly 1 percent to nearly 5 percent marine protection shows the potential of community-led MPAs in support of 30×30. Key lessons include the importance of legitimizing local customary conservation initiatives through formal governance mechanisms, employing participatory data collection and zoning to build local legitimacy, and aligning national legal frameworks with community co-management models. The revision of biodiversity legislation and the embedding of OECMs into national policy are critical for formalizing these gains. Senegal’s example shows that investing in community governance, regional collaboration, and legal recognition of community-based conservation can accelerate 30×30 progress.