Several regional permanent networks of MPA managers are working to strengthen and expand MPAs: MedPAN (Mediterranean) in strong cooperation with UN Environment/MAP, CaMPAM (Wider Caribbean), RAMPAO (West Africa), NAMPAN (North America), as well as other networks of MPA managers at national or sub-regional levels.

European Union's support to the Cooperation with Northern and Southern Transatlantic Dimension through marine protected areas, fostering connections between networks of managers with a common strategy and to guarantee a permanent networking mechanism. Networks of managers involved in the project are from the Caribbean (CaMPAM), the Mediterranean (MedPAN), North America (NAMPAN), and West Africa (RAMPAO) with an additional contribution from France and Spain.

Networks of marine protected area managers are essential catalysts for the establishment of well-managed and ecologically connected networks of marine protected areas, and thus achieving common conservation objectives more effectively and comprehensively than individual sites could acting alone.

Networks of marine protected areas (MPA) managers, at national, regional and global levels, play a cornerstone role in supporting effective protection and building "community" between managers, authorities, stakeholders, and donors, and act as intermediary structures to reinforce linkages between actions on the ground and decision-making processes, having thus the potential to accelerate the implementation of commitments on MPAs.

Global, regional and national networks of marine protected areas managers improve practical skills of managers through sharing of knowledge and solutions and to address common conservation and management issues within the broader landscape and seascape.

Networks of MPA managers are platforms acting at key political and geographic levels (national, regional, ocean basin and global), building capacity and addressing common management and conservation challenges. By gathering stakeholders for an effective management of marine biodiversity and creating linkages with actions on the ground, they facilitate relevant decision-making processes.

Ocean connectivity requires human connectivity.