04/30/2026
Ocean Use Surveys can be incredibly powerful when done well. We’ve been working with Marés do Norte Project in Brazil () to show just how actionable they can be using SeaSketch.
In the Marés do Norte Ocean Use Survey, thousands of ocean users mapped where they fish, research, travel, and work along the northern coast. That’s powerful on its own but the real question is:
What happens when you actually draw a plan?
In this example, a simple zoning scenario (yellow box) is overlaid on the survey data. These are draft reports but, even at this stage, the results are immediately informative:
* 644 people in the survey use the ocean within this plan area
* That’s 5.1% of all respondents, across 3 states and 19 cities
* Artisanal fishers are the largest group affected
* Research users are disproportionately impacted (16.8%)
* Some places, like São José de Ribamar, see over 60% of users affected by this hypothetical zoning scenario
This is where Ocean Use Surveys really deliver value for marine spatial planning.
Not just: “Where do people use the ocean?”
But: “Who is affected by this decision - and how much?”
That shift enables more transparent, evidence-based conversations about tradeoffs. These are early results, but the direction is clear.
Proud of the work happening in the North Brazilian coast and excited about where this goes next.
