Co-producing ocean plans with Indigenous and traditional knowledge holders

Globally, there is a call to recognize and empower Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge holders’ leadership in ocean governance, yet the ensuing processes often maintain power inequities and colonial legacies. We propose eight recommendations for equitable, inclusive, and knowledge-based approaches to co-producing sustainable ocean plans with Indigenous and traditional knowledge holders. These are 1) recognizing rights, 2) acknowledging pluralism, 3) aligning policy frameworks, 4) building relationships, 5) prioritizing accessible data, 6) funding Indigenous-led research, 7) addressing intersectionality, and 8) pursuing iterative planning processes.