An OECM Explainer Video Series for the East Asian Seas
The OECM Toolkit is a significant regional resource for government officials and practitioners.
This proposal outlines a short video series designed to extend the toolkit's impact: making the concept of OECMs accessible, compelling, and actionable for governments and practitioners across the East Asian Seas region and beyond.
The series positions OECMs not as a technical compliance requirement, but as a practical, already-proven tool that countries can adopt to strengthen marine conservation and meet global biodiversity commitments. With less than 5% of the East Asian Seas currently protected, and the 30x30 deadline of 2030 fast approaching, the urgency is real — and the opportunity is significant.
Videos are designed to work as a series and as standalone assets, timed for release at a regional event in October 2026.
Three animated explainer videos, each covering a distinct phase of the OECM journey. Designed to work independently and as a connected series — each episode building on the last.
Opens with the urgency of the 30x30 deadline and the protection gap across the East Asian Seas. Introduces OECMs as a practical tool — conservation already happening on the ground that isn't yet being counted. Covers what OECMs are, why they matter for biodiversity, ecosystems, livelihoods and global targets, and closes with a call to action for governments and communities to identify and register OECMs.
Walks through the practical process of identifying and establishing an OECM — from initial site assessment and stakeholder engagement through to recognition and registration. Anchored in the OECM Toolkit's step-by-step guidance, with references to regional examples (where available) to illustrate how the process works in practice.
Demonstrates that OECM identification is not a one-size-fits-all exercise — different governance structures, site types and community contexts all shape the approach, and the framework is designed to accommodate this.
Explores what happens after an OECM is established — how effectiveness is monitored, what success looks like, and how OECMs contribute to long-term marine conservation outcomes. Covers the indicators and frameworks used to track biodiversity, governance and community wellbeing over time, drawing on regional examples (where available) to ground the guidance in practice.
Draft DAO (Aug 2025) creating national OECM framework. Diverse site types — mangroves, sacred sites, fisheries, shipwrecks.
Also: Para El Mar biennial recognition programme (since 2005) — a Marine Support Network initiative that recognises best practices among locally managed MPAs, driving continuous improvement and community pride across participating sites.
150,000 km² of marine Ecological Conservation Red Lines as potential OECMs. Government-led, large-scale systems approach.
Study of 382 potential OECMs found most mid-sized sites (53%) managed by customary communities. Larger outer island sites tend to be government-led; smaller sites often privately managed. In 2025, traditional and local communities account for over 76% of reported OECM authorities by site count.
Beyond the three videos, a suite of supporting digital assets extends the toolkit's reach across platforms and decision-maker touchpoints — driving traffic to the full resource and ensuring the series is optimised for the channels where target audiences are most active.
Three 30-second video cut-downs — one per episode — formatted for social media. Each works as a standalone hook driving viewers to the full video. Sourced directly from footage already produced for the series, requiring no additional filming.
A single designed LinkedIn carousel distilling the key messages of the video series into a swipeable, shareable format. Optimised for decision-maker audiences on LinkedIn — structured to drive engagement with the series and the toolkit.
A single-page infographic summarising the OECM landscape in the East Asian Seas — key statistics, the 30x30 opportunity, and the steps to recognition. Designed for standalone sharing across digital channels and as a visual anchor for the broader campaign.
Production runs April through July 2026, with a public launch timed to a regional event in October 2026.