In the Pacific Islands, ever-increasing pressures on limited natural resources are mainly the result of rapid population increases. Soon, these pressures will be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. One key to successfully containing such pressures could be locally managed marine areas, which build on existing community strengths in traditional knowledge, customary tenure and governance, and are combined with a local awareness of the need for action. However, the success of the locally managed marine areas depends on broadening their scope so that they serve as building blocks for the integrated management of island communities. The implications of this are examined in detail