Marine Zoning: A Two-Decade Bibliographic Analysis—A Systematic Review

Marine zoning is a widely used spatial tool for managing ocean spaces, minimizing conflicts between uses, and maintaining ecosystem services. This review examines and profiles the use of marine zoning and its potential to support climate resilience and ecosystem services through a systematic PRISMA analysis of 121 articles. The findings highlight the importance of balancing sustainable resource use and human well-being with nature protection through well-tailored zoning objectives. The review underscores the need to expand research on underrepresented marine habitats such as seagrass and algae, which play a critical role in climate change mitigation. Additionally, it highlights the necessity of broadening the scope to consider human activities beyond fisheries, which are often the primary focus. Stakeholder engagement and public awareness are identified as crucial for effective marine zoning planning. A significant gap is noted in the integration of ecosystem services and natural capital into marine zoning research. Furthermore, despite marine zoning’s potential to address climate change challenges, the reviewed articles reveal limited attention to this topic, indicating an urgent need for further research. This review advocates for the incorporation of ecosystem service valuation and climate change considerations into marine zoning to ensure sustainable management that balances ecological preservation with human well-being.