The MNA region has rich marineecosystems that can play a key role in eroding extremepoverty and promoting shared prosperity through the BlueEconomy—the sustainable use of marine resources for economicgrowth, improved livelihoods, jobs, and overall ecosystemhealth. The Blue Economy includes a wide range ofactivities, from fisheries and aquaculture to otherecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, coastalprotection, and biodiversity. For example, MNA has largecoastal areas important to the livelihoods of hundreds ofthousands of people, many of them poor and vulnerable. Theseinclude fisheries and aquaculture, much of it small-scaleand increasing substantially in recent years, from 2,484,644and 393,987 metric tons, respectively, in 2000 to 4,743,814and 1,820,983 metric tons in 2016. Many MNA countries relyheavily on imports for food and fisheries and aquaculturesupplement the food supply, impacting food security andnutritional diversity. These ecosystems also play a role inclimate change mitigation and adaptation as seas absorbcarbon dioxide (CO2) and coastal habitats, like mangroveforests and sea grass beds, sequester carbon and help toprotect coastlines, preventing erosion from floods andstorms. Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)—whichcoordinate policies, activities, and investments impactingcoastal and maritime resources—are critical to capturing theopportunities of the Blue Economy.
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