Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) of nine member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were reviewed. These countries are the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Cambodia and Myanmar. Different issues pertaining to MPAs of each country are assessed and their management concerns evaluated. The pressures (i.e. threats) on the marine environment, the state of their habitats and the important management needs are examined. A priority action agenda and a regional strategic MPA framework are also proposed.

The ASEAN region contains some of the most extensive coastlines and diverse coral reefs in the world but remains the most highly threatened. A proliferation of MPAs in the ASEAN shows a growing consciousness on the need to deal with the increasing threats (e.g. coastal development, sedimentation and over-exploitation), leading to the degradation of the coastal and marine resources of the region. Although MPAs are recognized as crucial to conserving biodiversity, only a few (around 10-20%) of the MPAs are effectively managed and as such, MPA management remains inadequate. Some of the suggested priority actions are the following: 1) improve and effectively implement legislative reforms to enhance MPA effectiveness, 2) incorporate MPA planning and management into an Integrated Coastal Management framework, 3) enhance sustaining mechanisms to enable managers and institutions to continue adaptive management, 4) fill in gaps in the establishment and understanding of representatively adequate MPAs in the various biogeographic zones (e.g. W. Sumatra, E. Philippines and Myanmar), and 5) improve and establish joint research and cooperative management areas (e.g. the Turtle Islands and the Spratlys).