MFF emerged from extensive consultations with over 200 individuals and 160 institutions involved in coastal management in the Indian Ocean Region. It focuses on countries most affected by the December, 2004 Tsunami (India, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) and adopts a new approach that re-orients the current focus of coastal investment. This means moving from a reactive response to disasters, to progressive activities that address long-term sustainable management needs. These include building awareness and capacity for improved food and livelihood security, disaster preparedness, and climate change adaptation.

MFF seeks to support economic development by bringing practical conservation actions more effectively into the development planning process, ensuring that coastal ecosystem goods and services are fully valued and protected as an integral part of the coastal development infrastructure. MFF addresses this need by promoting regional collaboration and joint action that will fill the gaps in capacity, knowledge and empowerment among coastal managers to maximize positive socioeconomic and ecological impacts.