One of the main challenges in marine conservation, is the social acceptability of MPA delineation, design, management and enforcement. Part of this challenge owes to the top-down approach regarding MPAs. True interaction with stakeholders most often comes late in the MPA process, i.e., after the delineation of MPAs and the definition of the conservation objectives. Therefore, stakeholders often take a defensive position towards MPAs. BLUE4ALL will explore the feasibility of aligning a bottom-up approach towards MPAs with stakeholders at the “steering wheel”, with a top-down approach focusing on regulatory expectations to achieve effective, efficient and resilient MPAs and networks of MPAs.