Open research questions in Coastal and Marine Management

What the literature leaves open

• The relationships between blue and digital products remain insufficiently understood, particularly at the product level. Existing studies on the relationship between the digital economy and the marine economy have predominantly adopted macro-level empirical approaches.

  From fragmentation to coupling: exploring the evolution of China’s blue–digital product space based on trade-based product proximity · 2026 · DOI

• The research employs a qualitative research design using a case study technique, which may lack generalizability - The study focuses on the implementation of governance capacity regarding blue economy development policy in coastal areas of East Nusa Tenggara Province, which may not be representative of other regions

  Implementation of Governance Capacity on Blue Economy Development Policy in Coastal Areas: A Case Study from East Nusa Tenggara Province · 2026 · DOI

• Further research could explore the application of the conceptual framework of van Popering-Verkerk et al. in other contexts - Studies could investigate the impact of governance capacity on the success of public policy in different sectors

  Implementation of Governance Capacity on Blue Economy Development Policy in Coastal Areas: A Case Study from East Nusa Tenggara Province · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies the challenge of integrating multimodal data and operating under uncertainty. Another challenge is the need to model long-term ecological resilience and sustainability thresholds. The complexity of oceanic data, including its high dimensionality and temporal dynamics, is also a challenge.

  A computational intelligence framework for multimodal oceanic data analysis and predictive modeling in sustainable marine resource management · 2026 · DOI

• Developing a computational intelligence framework capable of fusing and interpreting multimodal oceanic data is crucial for facilitating informed decision making and advancing sustainable practices in marine ecosystems, - Improving the model's ability to integrate spatial, temporal, and environmental signals

  A computational intelligence framework for multimodal oceanic data analysis and predictive modeling in sustainable marine resource management · 2026 · DOI

• Investigate the effectiveness of different governance innovations in enhancing transformative capacity. Explore more case studies to validate and expand the findings across diverse geographical regions.

  A three-dimensional framework for analyzing transformative capacity in coastal adaptation: embeddedness, influence and reproduction · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies the need for a conceptual synthesis to address systemic limitations in existing coastal adaptation practices. It highlights the gap between awareness of climate risks and practical implementation of adaptation measures.

  A three-dimensional framework for analyzing transformative capacity in coastal adaptation: embeddedness, influence and reproduction · 2026 · DOI

• how MSP can become more adaptive to long-term environmental and economic targets, - how effective involving socioeconomic strata is in MSP, - how decision-making tools could help to cover the gaps in MSP

  Soft vs. Hard Sustainability Approach in Marine Spatial Planning: Challenges and Solutions · 2024 · DOI

• The complexity of measuring marine economic sustainability. The challenge of analyzing the relationship between financial development and the sustainable growth of the marine economy at the city level. The need to address the technical risks, market risks, and policy risks associated with low-carbon lending.

  Financial Mechanism for Sustainable Development of the Marine Economy with Respect to Technology, Digitalization, and Low Carbonization · 2024 · DOI

• Investigating city-level dynamics and examining intercity coordination between financial development and marine economic growth, - Exploring the dynamics at the national or provincial level, - Examining the coordination between financial development and marine economic sustainability across cities within the same region

  Financial Mechanism for Sustainable Development of the Marine Economy with Respect to Technology, Digitalization, and Low Carbonization · 2024 · DOI

• The research aims to address a significant gap in the literature concerning stakeholder engagement in marine resource conservation.

  Voices From the Coast: Stakeholder Participation and Perception on Creating a Marine Protected Area · 2026 · DOI

• While conservation measures impact local resource access, there is limited research on their socio-cultural dimensions, particularly from the perspective of local stakeholders.

  Coastal Community Perspectives on Marine Resource Conservation and Access in Rote Island, Indonesia · 2025

• The review also identifies a persistent gap in the literature regarding social inclusion, calling for stronger governance structures, cross-sectoral collaboration and sustainability-driven innovation in marine industries.

  The transition to a sustainable blue economy explored through frameworks and SDG alignment · 2025 · DOI

• These estuaries are highly vulnerable to human and climate disturbances due to their episodic closure to the ocean, yet remain understudied.

  Intermittent estuaries deserve global attention as vulnerable and vital ecosystems · 2025 · DOI

• Whether these protocols have been well adopted to guide restoration practices remains unknown, especially in developing countries where policies evolve rapidly to balance socioeconomic development with ecosystem restoration.

  Overlooked discrepancies in protocols undermine coastal restoration practices in China · 2025 · DOI

• This study aims to investigate the coastal vulnerability due to climate change and human activities in an area west of the Limassol district’s coastline, in Cyprus, on which there have been limited studies.

  Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) Assessment: Evaluating Risks Associated with Human-Made Activities along the Limassol Coastline, Cyprus · 2024 · DOI

• Multiple datasets related to pond and marine aquaculture have been published using diverse remote sensing technologies, yet a comprehensive dataset detailing spatial distribution on both land and sea sides is lacking.

  Spatial Distribution and Differentiation Analysis of Coastal Aquaculture in China Based on Remote Sensing Monitoring · 2024 · DOI

• Abstract High-quality regional development requires coupling of socioeconomic and natural domains, but it remains unclear how to effectively integrate the regional economy with river basin ecosystems.

  Global river economic belts can become more sustainable by considering economic and ecological processes · 2024 · DOI

• Future studies should focus on further integrating AI into regional Blue Circular Economy models. Additional empirical research is needed to assess the long-term ecological impacts of AI-driven technologies. Developing robust governance and ethical frameworks is crucial for the application of AI in the Blue Circular Economy.

  Artificial intelligence and blue circular economy in relationship with UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) and vision 2030: Systematic review of literature · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in the current literature on the application of AI in the Blue Circular Economy. The paper highlights the need for further research on the role of AI in the Blue Circular Economy. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing ethical and governance issues in the application of AI in the Blue Circular Economy.

  Artificial intelligence and blue circular economy in relationship with UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) and vision 2030: Systematic review of literature · 2026 · DOI

• AI models can be prone to overfitting, - Model complexity can be a challenge, - Difficulty distinguishing 'lookalikes' can be a limitation, - Performance can be limited by data scarcity

  Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for sustainable marine resources · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of advanced, adaptive tools for monitoring and decision-making in marine science, - The need for a comprehensive framework for integrating AI into sustainable marine governance

  Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) techniques for sustainable marine resources · 2026 · DOI

• The robustness checks demonstrate stability across alternative AI measurements (entropy-weighted TOPSIS, patent counts) and alternative Marine Green Development Index constructions (Table 12), but dynamic lagged effects are tested only at one-period lag. Investigation of multi-period lagged effects and autoregressive specifications would clarify whether AI's impact on marine green development exhibits delayed or cumulative temporal patterns.

  Artificial intelligence, capability transformation, and marine green development: empirical evidence from Coastal China · 2026 · DOI

• While the instrumental variable approach (AI search attention as an instrument for AI index) successfully mitigates endogeneity concerns, the exclusion restriction is validated only through a single placebo test using 'number of travel agencies per 10,000 people.' Testing the instrument's validity against additional placebo outcomes in the marine and environmental sectors (e.g., coastal tourism, fishing vessel registrations) would strengthen causal inference.

  Artificial intelligence, capability transformation, and marine green development: empirical evidence from Coastal China · 2026 · DOI

• Policy misalignment. Limited access to formal services. Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) fishing.

  Global assessment of financial mechanisms supporting blue livelihoods and sustainable development in coastal and marine fishing communities · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Coastal and Marine Management

• A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems · Science · 2008 · 5,516 citations
• Marine Ecoregions of the World: A Bioregionalization of Coastal and Shelf Areas · BioScience · 2007 · 3,399 citations
• Depletion, Degradation, and Recovery Potential of Estuaries and Coastal Seas · Science · 2006 · 2,843 citations
• Revisiting the Commons: Local Lessons, Global Challenges · Science · 1999 · 1,689 citations
• The importance of marine spatial planning in advancing ecosystem-based sea use management · Marine Policy · 2008 · 829 citations
• Why local people do not support conservation: Community perceptions of marine protected area livelihood impacts, governance and management in Thailand · Marine Policy · 2013 · 711 citations
• Mind the gap: Addressing the shortcomings of marine protected areas through large scale marine spatial planning · Marine Policy · 2010 · 578 citations
• Fisheries and coastal governance as a wicked problem · Marine Policy · 2009 · 509 citations
• Guiding ecological principles for marine spatial planning · Marine Policy · 2010 · 481 citations
• Dynamic ocean management: Defining and conceptualizing real-time management of the ocean · Marine Policy · 2015 · 458 citations

Most recent work

• Ecosystem integration of marine conservation and coastal development in Taiwan · Frontiers in Environmental Science · 2026
• Governing the blue economy in arid coastal regions: opportunities, constraints, and stakeholder perspectives from the Eastern Province coast of Saudi Arabia · Frontiers in Marine Science · 2026
• The United Nations and global blue carbon governance: a policy and practice review of frameworks, challenges, and possible pathways · Frontiers in Marine Science · 2026
• Visitors’ perception, coastal scenery quality and tourism profitability on sandy beaches - Southeastern Brazil · Marine Policy · 2026
• Establishing a coherent ABMTs network: how the BBNJ Agreement can foster cooperation with existing mechanisms from the perspective of institutional complementarity · Frontiers in Marine Science · 2026
• The hidden currents of marine economies: assessing informal market behavior across fisheries, tourism, and logistics in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province · Frontiers in Marine Science · 2026
• Rethinking and comprehensive planning of the floating city concept · Communications Earth & Environment · 2026
• Policy fit: lessons from ocean governance in Australia · Policy Sciences · 2026
• Oceanographic Buoys for Marine Monitoring: A Review of Instrumentation, Applications, and Emerging Technologies · Journal of Marine Science and Engineering · 2026
• Seeing the whole coastline: Building and testing a comprehensive sustainable coastal vulnerability index · Applied Geography · 2026

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