Late last night, after two weeks of intense negotiations, delegates meeting at the United Nations finally agreed to language for a High Seas Treaty. This is a major milestone in a nearly two-decade effort to secure a treaty to govern and protect the High Seas, which make up 70% of the ocean and cover nearly half the planet. More than 160,000 supporters spoke up and urged leaders to act. This public support, along with the great work of partners like RISE UP, the High Seas Alliance, Greenpeace, and more, helped show decision-makers that people all over the world were watching and wanted action — and they delivered. There is still more work to do, as nations will now need to formally adopt the language and ratify the treaty at the country level. We will continue to keep you updated on campaign developments and the critical moments where we need your support.
Update:
On June 8th, 2021, Panama surpassed the 30×30 target to become the leading country in marine protection in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) Seascape. This action tripled the size of the Cordillera de Coiba MPA, with nearly 70 percent designated as fully protected from extractive activities and the remaining 30 percent set aside for sustainable use.
On Nov. 1st, 2021, Ecuador announced an expansion of the existing Galápagos Islands marine reserve to encompass an additional 60,000 square kilometers. The majority of the addition would be established across the Cocos Ridge, which is an important migration route for species like hammerhead sharks and leatherback turtles.
On Dec. 17th, 2021, the Costa Rican government signed a decree expanding the fully protected area of the Isla del Coco National Park and the Seamounts Marine Management Area by more than 50,000 square kilometers–27 times bigger than its previous size.
On Jun. 28, 2022, the Colombian government announced the creation of four new major marine protected areas (MPAs), including one that expands the fully protected Malpelo Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora. In total, the new MPAs will enable Colombia to surpass the global 30x30 ocean protection goal eight years before the 2030 deadline!
Call on the governments of Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia to join Panama in protecting the migration routes of species threatened with extinction.
Increased commercial fishing pressure is contributing to the decline of marine life in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) Seascape.
This is especially true along important animal migration routes, where commercial fishing operations, both domestic and foreign, have been documented engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
