The GEF SGP Kenya through project Ken/SGP/OP5/FSP/BD/13/07 has provided funds for a study that was originally published in "Ocean and Coastal Management" magazine.  Coastal communities in Kenya are indreasingly adopting Locally Management Marine Areas (LMMAS) and 24 of them had been estabished by 2015. Coastal communities perceive the objectives of these LMMAs are to primarily conserve fisheries and marine resources and secure alternative sources of income. This study examine if there are generic approaches in how these LMMAs are established, that can be used for national guidelines.