The 5th International Marine Protected Area Congress (IMPAC5) wrapped up last March in Vancouver, Canada, on the traditional territories of the host First Nations – xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) – following days full of inspiring and thoughtful discussions. While significant progress was made, especially regarding the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ central role in marine stewardship, the authors still feel that more could have been done to highlight broader issues of justice, including gender equity. This blog post offers some insights into what was said about gender, equity and justice at the Congress. It offers a few reflections on how we can ensure greater (re)focused attention on these topics in upcoming work on marine stewardship.