The world must act now to safeguard the Pacific’s last wild frontiers | News | Eco-Business

But we need rapid action to safeguard this special environment beneath the ocean’s surface. With each expedition to the region, new species are discovered and we learn more about how critical the ecosystem is to planetary health. It is our mission to ensure that the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges, despite being out of sight, are not forgotten in talks that determine their future.

We are pouring our efforts into helping the work of the task team, with support from our regional research partners, so the scientific committee understands the urgent need for protection.

The 2026 deadline for a management decision cannot be missed, and governments must involve their best scientists in the process.

Bridging policy, conservation and industry

The ocean is so vast, productive and biodiverse that we have enough space to have both healthy fisheries and an important portion designated as MPAs, which, in turn, help fisheries. The safeguarding of ecosystems supports nature, climate regulation, coastal communities and livelihoods.

The SPRFMO is more than just a policy forum. It’s a space to show that conservation and sustainable fishing can go hand in hand on the high seas. These efforts must not be seen as opposing forces.

The High Seas Treaty, agreed in 2023, is a historic milestone that will enable us to designate MPAs in all of the oceans worldwide beyond national jurisdiction. For it to enter into force and become international law, the treaty must be ratified by 60 countries. Currently, 21 nations have done so. A growing and united community of NGOs have joined forces in a campaign, Together for the Ocean, that calls for governments to commit to ratify it by June, coinciding with the landmark UN Ocean Conference in France. 

The high seas cover 43 per cent of our planet and their protection, as MPAs or other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), is essential in achieving the globally agreed goal of protecting at least 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 (also known as 30×30).

We’ve witnessed a surge in commitments, yet only 8.3 per cent of the world’s ocean is currently designated as protected. Most of it is either protected in name only or so loosely regulated that substantial harmful activities are often allowed to continue.