French Polynesia has announced the creation of the largest marine park in the world, covering its entire Exclusive Economic Zone — an area of 4.8 million square kilometers, roughly the size of the European Union.
President Moetai Brotherson presented the initiative at the UN Ocean Conference in France. According to him, more than one million square kilometers of the park will be placed under strict protection: 900,000 square kilometers will be completely closed to industrial fishing and resource extraction, while another 186,000 square kilometers will be reserved for traditional small-scale fishing. An additional 500,000 square kilometers are expected to be added by World Oceans Day in 2026.
The marine park will unite contemporary scientific methods with the ancient Polynesian knowledge about ocean resource management which their people have practiced successfully for many generations. The public supports this initiative because 92% of archipelago residents support the plan which they view as both environmental protection and cultural heritage defense.
The waters of Polynesia contain sharks and whales and turtles and they support some of the world's most biodiverse coral reefs. According to Conservation International, the region is a key biodiversity hotspot for the entire Pacific Ocean. Razan Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), called the move “a new global standard for ocean protection” and an example for other countries to follow.
France will monitor the marine park through its support which established environmental protection for 78% of its marine waters. The Pacific region has started to lead ocean protection efforts at the worldwide level because Samoa and Fiji and the Cook Islands created protected areas during the past few years.
The French Polynesia historic marine reserve serves two purposes by defending local ocean areas while creating a model for ocean protection which can benefit marine ecosystems worldwide.
