ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 03 March 2022 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.831678 Edited by: Joseph Appiott, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Canada Reviewed by: Daniela Diz, Heriot-Watt University, United Kingdom Nicholas J. Bax, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia *Correspondence: Linda R. Harris harris.linda.r@gmail.com Specialty section: This article was submitted to Marine Conservation and Sustainability, a section of the journal Frontiers in Marine Science Received: 08 December 2021 Accepted: 02 February 2022 Published: 03 March 2022 Citation: Harris LR, Holness SD, Finke G, Amunyela M, Braby R, Coelho N, Gee K, Kirkman SP, Kreiner A, Mausolf E, Majiedt P, Maletzky E, Nsingi KK, Russo V, Sink KJ and Sorgenfrei R (2022) Practical Marine Spatial Management of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas: Emerging Lessons From Evidence-Based Planning and Implementation in a Developing-World Context. Front. Mar. Sci. 9:831678. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.831678 Practical Marine Spatial Management of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas: Emerging Lessons From Evidence-Based Planning and Implementation in a Developing-World Context Linda R. Harris 1 * , Stephen D. Holness 1 , Gunnar Finke 2,3 , Maria Amunyela 2 , Rodney Braby 2 , Nelson Coelho 4 , Kira Gee 5,6 , Stephen P. Kirkman 1,7 , Anja Kreiner 8 , Elisabeth Mausolf 2 , Prideel Majiedt 9,10 , Erich Maletzky 11 , Kumbi K. Nsingi 12 , Vladimir Russo 13 , Kerry J. Sink 1,10 and Roman Sorgenfrei 2 1 Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa, 2 Benguela Current Marine Spatial Management and Governance Project, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Swakopmund, Namibia, 3 Institute of Geography, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany, 4 Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum, Luanda, Angola, 5 s.Pro | Sustainable Projects, Berlin, Germany, 6 Human Dimensions of Coastal Areas, Helmholtz Center Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany, 7 Oceans and Coastal Research, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Cape Town, South Africa, 8 National Marine Information and Research Center, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Swakopmund, Namibia, 9 Biodiversity Policy Advice Unit, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, South Africa, 10 Marine Program, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Cape Town, South Africa, 11 Lüderitz Marine Research Center, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Lüderitz, Namibia, 12 Secretariat of the Benguela Current Convention, Swakopmund, Namibia, 13 Holísticos, Luanda, Angola Identifying key sites of marine biodiversity value and implementing the required practical spatial management measures is critical for safeguarding marine biodiversity and maintaining essential ecological processes, especially in the face of accelerating global change and expanding ocean economies. Delineating Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) has been catalytic in progressing toward this aim. However, the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME; comprising three developing countries: Angola, Namibia, and South Africa) is one of few places where practical action to secure biodiversity in EBSAs has followed their description. We aim to document the process of moving from biodiversity priority areas to implemented conservation actions, and distil broadly applicable emerging lessons. EBSAs in the BCLME were reviewed using a systematic conservation planning approach, supplemented with expert input. In this data- and knowledge-driven process, the boundaries and descriptions of existing EBSAs were refined, and gaps filled with new EBSAs. The status of 29 EBSAs was assessed by determining the ecological condition, ecosystem threat status, and ecosystem protection level of constituent ecosystem Frontiers in Marine Science | www.frontiersin.org 1 March 2022 | Volume 9 | Article 831678