GOAP Technical Guidance

Ocean accounts integrate environmental, economic, and social data about marine and coastal systems into a single, structured framework -- compatible with the same international standards that countries already use for national economic reporting. They give decision-makers a consistent, evidence-based picture of what a country's ocean provides, how it is changing, and whether current use is sustainable.

What Are Ocean Accounts?

Ocean accounts apply established statistical standards -- the System of National Accounts (SNA) and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) -- to the ocean. They track three interconnected domains: the environment (ecosystem assets, condition, and services), the economy (industries that use or affect the ocean), and society (livelihoods, wellbeing, and governance).

Because ocean accounts use the same accounting rules as national economic statistics, they can directly inform budget processes, spatial planning, investment decisions, and international reporting obligations. A fisheries minister, a marine park manager, and an impact investor can all draw on the same underlying data -- each finding the indicators relevant to their decisions.

The Technical Guidance provides the detailed methodology for compiling these accounts. It is designed for a diverse readership: national statisticians building the accounts, ecologists measuring ecosystem condition, policy executives using the results, and finance practitioners linking accounts to investment decisions.

Find Your Pathway

Different readers need different entry points. Choose the pathway that matches your role, or browse Circular 0.5: Navigating the Technical Guidance for the full guide.

Technical Guidance Circulars

The Technical Guidance is organised as a modular system of 69 circulars across 7 sections:

• Section 0: Front Matter -- Concepts, definitions, and quality principles
• Section 1: Decision-Making -- Using ocean accounts in policy and finance
• Section 2: Indicators -- Compiling indicators from accounts
• Section 3: Accounts Compilation -- Building accounts tables
• Section 4: Data Methods -- Data collection and quality
• Section 5: Case Studies -- Country implementation examples
• Section 6: Thematic Methods -- Ecosystem and sector deep-dives

Browse All Circulars →

About GOAP

The Global Ocean Accounts Partnership brings together governments, international organisations, and research institutions to advance the development and use of ocean accounts for sustainable ocean development.

For more information, visit oceanaccounts.org.