1. Membership eligibility.
i. Application for membership of the Network shall be open to any person of the countries of the WIO region with an interest in the coastal and marine environment in the following categories:
a) A person shall not be more than ten years of his or her professional employment in the coastal and marine environment.
b) A personal shall be an individual who is a national of any of the member states of the Region registered as full time student at universities, working in an institutions in the field of coastal and marine environment.
c) A personal shall be below five years after graduation of his or her PhD research in the field of coastal and marine environment, take into account BSc and MSc are eligible to apply
d) Co-opt membership: A person shall be an individual of any nationality who has been working or is working or doing research in the WIO region and whose field is on the coastal and marine environment.

2. Application for Membership.
i. A person wishing to become a member of the Network under categories 1 (i) (a) to (c) above shall apply for membership through country coordinators and approved by the General Secretary.
ii. Subject to the terms and conditions set by the Network, the Secretariat may approve the membership application of an applicant.

3. Rights and Obligations of Members
i. Each member of the Network shall have such rights and perform such duties as may be prescribed in the Constitution of the Network, including but not limited to the following:
a) Participate fully in the activities of the Network.
b) Undertake such obligations and duties as may be assigned by the Country coordinators and General secretariat of the Network.
c) Abide by the terms of the Constitution, which shall be the basic guide for the operation of the Network.
d) Enjoy privileges of the Network afforded to all Members.
e) Exercise the right to vote by each Member (one person one vote)

4. Termination of Membership
i. A person shall cease to be a member upon his/her own decision to withdraw membership, expressed in writing to the Country Coordinators who will communicate to the General Secretary.
ii. Any person who without any reasonable cause ceases to continue to participate in the activities of the Network.
iii. A person shall cease to be a member of the Network because of misconduct detrimental to the Network.