The goal of coastal and marine is to ensure conservation, rehabilitation, sustainable management and wise use of coastal and marine resources including mangroves and fisheries.
Under this programme, CANCO focuses its activities on 4 key issues:

1. Threats posed to coastal environment from land based pollution and degradation.
2. Unsustainable levels of harvesting of marine resources resulting to risks to biodiversity and livelihood. Under this initiative, CANCO supports responsible fishing initiatives.
3. Threats posed by climate change. More importantly coming up with climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives for instance mangrove rehabilitation and restoration.
4. Inadequate knowledge skills and information on sustainable coastal and marine resource management. Under this, CANCO trains and creates awareness on policies and legislative frameworks, management tools such as Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), as well as setting up and sustaining coastal and marine advocacy networks such as tuna fisheries engagement network.