Critically endangered giant clams are subject to overharvesting across the Indo-Pacific, prompting conservation concerns and regulatory measures. This project examines how giant clam trade and conservation governance unfold in Balabac, Palawan, Philippines—an area marked by a high incidence of illegal trade and proximity to disputed waters in the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea. Drawing on Foucauldian power theory, actor-network theory, and critical geopolitics, the study maps the formal and informal networks shaping giant clam trade and conservation, examines how local fishers, traders, and communities navigate these governance structures, and explores how domestic conservation efforts intersect with maritime territorial claims. Using multi-sited ethnography, social network analysis, and discourse analysis, the research will inform a master’s thesis and potential journal articles, while guiding policymakers, NGOs, and local stakeholders toward more equitable and conflict-sensitive conservation strategies.