South Africa has jurisdiction over a very large Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.5 mn km2. Extended continental shelf claims will double the size of its ocean geography if successful. With such a large jurisdiction, effective governance is critical but will be challenging given the size and complexity of our oceans. Currently, the sectoral approach only gives a partial picture and it difficult to achieve balance. Effective ocean governance will need to identify and manage interdependencies across socio-economic aspirations and environmental integrity.