Marine litter is a transversal issue that affects the environment and society in a multitude of ways. As such, solutions to this problem are complex and demand the engagement of multiple sectors of society. The São Paulo Strategic Plan for Monitoring and Assessment of Marine Litter (PEMALM) is the first public policy of its kind, seeking to establish indicators and build knowledge to move towards a plan to combat marine litter in the most populous state in Brazil. From its inception, PEMALM has sought to establish a participative construction framework, involving key stakeholders at each step. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the participative construction process had to be adapted. Here we present and discuss