Blue Economy Governance: Legal Regulation of Marine Resources and Coastal Communities in East Africa

The Blue Economy (BE) brings a new sustainable development system for East African development, but the existing maritime resource laws fail to protect coastal community rights while enabling economic development. This research investigates how fragmented governance systems lead to local community exclusion from marine development projects. The study aims to determine the legal system's actual effectiveness in safeguarding community rights while enabling environmental resource development. The research uses a doctrinal approach that follows PRISMA guidelines to find and evaluate primary laws and secondary academic sources. The research results demonstrate that institutional overlaps and ocean grabbing activities create social equity problems which impede progress toward social justice. The study demonstrates that regional success depends on implementing inclusive co-management systems. The study recommends developing shared international legal frameworks together with implementing "Blue Justice" principles to achieve fair benefit distribution while maintaining environmental protection.