Although engagement with the ‘blue economy’ concept has grown rapidly in recent years, discussion around what the term means, how it may be implemented and, indeed, if it is desirable, remains sparse. Broadly speaking, the blue economy refers to the idea of sustainable ocean development — that is, ocean development that strives to achieve social, environmental and economic objectives. This In Brief seeks to encourage deeper engagement and reflection on the blue economy concept, given the current ‘blue acceleration’1 (Jouffray et al. 2020). It outlines key questions for deliberation which flow from one another in a staged process, with conversation generated by one question providing the foundation for discussion of the next. These suggested questions are far from exhaustive or absolute, but hope to provide a starting point for those wishing to foster closer interrogation on what the blue economy means and what potential it may hold. They build upon questions raised throughout the blue economy literature (Bennett et al. 2021; Voyer et al. 2021) and among ocean communities contemplating its value and use.