Coastal governance includes all the processes and institutional arrangements through which ‘actors’ (decision makers and stakeholders) influence outcomes on the coast. Diverse actors play a role, formally or informally, in coastal governance. Actors do not function alone but in existing networks and in legal, policy, political, social, technological, economic and cultural contexts. Actors can collaborate with each other to share power and available resources, such as knowledge and funds. They can also work against each other to pursue competing coastal objectives.

Below is a list of actors in coastal governance that can be used: in conjunction with the social network analysis tool; as a starting point for deciding on workshop participants; or for determining key respondents in a consultation process.