Get Started with Ocean Accounts
Your step-by-step guide to implementing ocean accounting in your country or region
What You'll Need
Before beginning your ocean accounting implementation, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:
Access to National Statistical Data
Environmental, economic, and marine resource data from national statistical offices and marine agencies.
Understanding of SEEA Framework
Familiarity with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) framework and its core concepts.
Stakeholder Coordination Capacity
Ability to coordinate across government agencies, research institutions, and other ocean stakeholders.
Technical Expertise
Staff with skills in environmental accounting, marine science, economics, and data management.
Implementation Steps
Follow these six steps to develop ocean accounts for your country or region:
Assess Readiness
Use the Ocean Accounts Diagnostic Tool to evaluate your country's data availability, institutional capacity, and policy context. This assessment will help identify gaps and priorities for your ocean accounting program.
Key outputs: Readiness assessment report, stakeholder mapping, data gap analysis
Build Your Team
Establish a core technical team and broader steering committee. Engage key stakeholders including national statistical offices, environment ministries, fisheries and marine agencies, research institutions, and marine spatial planning authorities.
Key outputs: Terms of reference, governance structure, work plan
Define Scope
Choose priority ecosystems (e.g., coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass) and economic sectors (e.g., fisheries, tourism, shipping) to focus your initial accounts. Consider policy needs, data availability, and stakeholder interests when defining scope.
Key outputs: Scoping document, ecosystem typology, spatial boundaries
Compile Data
Gather biophysical data on ecosystem extent and condition, economic data on ocean-related activities, and social data on ocean use and values. Utilize existing datasets where possible and identify needs for new data collection or modeling.
Key outputs: Data inventory, metadata standards, quality assurance protocols
Develop Accounts
Apply the SEEA Ecosystem Accounting methodology to organize your data into ocean accounts. Compile ecosystem extent accounts, ecosystem condition accounts, ecosystem services accounts, and thematic accounts as relevant to your priorities.
Key outputs: Draft ocean accounts, technical documentation, uncertainty assessments
Validate & Report
Review accounts with stakeholders and technical experts. Conduct quality checks, peer review, and policy testing. Publish your ocean accounts through national statistical channels and share results with policymakers and the public.
Key outputs: Published ocean accounts, policy briefs, communication materials
Key Resources
These essential publications provide the technical guidance and tools you need to implement ocean accounts:
Ocean Accounts Framework
The foundational document that outlines the conceptual framework and methodology for ocean accounting.
Diagnostic Tool
A practical assessment tool to evaluate your readiness and identify priorities for ocean accounting.
Core Ocean Statistics
Essential statistical indicators and data compilation guidelines for ocean accounting.
Need Help Getting Started?
Connect with our team or explore learning opportunities to support your ocean accounting journey.