Unlocking the Blue Economy through an inclusive and equitable approach does not happen by chance. As governments, investors, rightsholders and stakeholders look to the sea as the next economic frontier, there is a renewed focus on ensuring a balanced approach to developing and managing ocean resources through cross-disciplinary engagement. The presentation and video will explore outcomes from a trans-Tasman scoping project funded to build a Cultural Licence to Operate framework that helps to create the ecosystem for an ethical, equitable, dynamic, and responsive system in which negotiations are customised at place. This Indigenous-led study set out to strengthen the guiding tracks and transparency for shifting out from a transactional way to engage with First Nations through “keeping up an appearance” to building and maintaining a relational way of maximising co-benefits.