French Polynesia Sets Aside 400,000 Square Miles of Ocean for Conservation
On Monday, French Polynesia announced the creation of one of the world's largest marine protected areas. The French territory has designated an area equal to 23 percent of its exclusive economic zone for conservation, free of industrial fishing - a meaningful success for the "30x30" ecosystem protection movement.
Speaking at the United Nations Ocean Conference, President Moetai Brotherson unveiled plans that will establish highly protected zones covering a total of 1.1 million square kilometers — an area roughly twice the size of France.
The ambitious conservation initiative will create two major sanctuary zones: an area of 220,000 square kilometers near the Society Islands and another of 680,000 square kilometers near the Gambier Islands. Combined with new artisanal-only fishing areas spanning 186,000 square kilometers, the protected waters will total more than 1 million square kilometers (more than 400,000 square miles).
"In French Polynesia, the ocean is much more than a territory — it's the source of life, culture, and identity," President Brotherson said in his announcement. "These measures will make French Polynesia a central player in global ocean governance."
The designation represents a significant expansion of marine conservation efforts in the Pacific, where small island nations have increasingly taken the lead in ocean protection.
Under the new protections, industrial fishing, mining and other extractive activities will be banned in the highly protected zones. The artisanal fishing zones will only allow pole-and-line fishing from boats shorter than 39 feet, preserving local fishing practices while excluding commercial operations.
"This level of ambition is what the world needs to help turn the tide back in favor of a healthy and productive ocean," said Razan Al Mubarak, president of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The initiative follows years of advocacy by communities in the Austral and Marquesas islands, who have called for stronger marine protections to preserve their environment and traditional ways of life.
President Brotherson also announced plans to establish additional protected areas near the Austral and Marquesas islands within the next year, which would increase the territory's highly protected waters to 2.5 million square kilometers — more than half of French Polynesia's EEZ.
The territory has also committed to banning deep-sea mining and drifting fish aggregating devices, while strengthening public participation in ocean management and fisheries oversight.
The announcement comes as scientists warn that ocean ecosystems face mounting pressures from climate change, overfishing and pollution, making large-scale conservation efforts increasingly critical for marine biodiversity preservation.
Top image: Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia (Rita Willaert / CC BY NC SA 2.0)