Recent studies call for the scaling-up and networking of local marine reserves for ecological effectiveness and resilience. Currently, the Pacific islands are witnessing an explosion in the number of community-based marine reserves. Village sea tenure is the foundation for the development of reserves in the Pacific and likely poses a distinct challenge to coordinated marine management and networking. The authors examine the Nguna-Pele Marine Protected Area network in Vanuatu to understand how sea tenure may act as a barrier or advantage to multi-community reserve networking. They found that networks of community reserves may be practical in the Pacific islands if they address a locally-defined need and build on existing collaborative governance arrangements. Networking frameworks must flexibly match local sociocultural contexts. They conclude that networks of reserves do not necessarily usurp management or ownership rights but rather may strengthen and legitimize community sea tenure regimes in the Pacific islands.