Our Ocean

In February, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a vessel identified as the Lady Michelle on the high seas north of Suriname with 4.2 tons of cocaine—worth an estimated $125 million—concealed on board. A few months earlier, about 200 migrants, who were seeking to enter the European Union illegally, died when their ship capsized in the Mediterranean Sea. And off the coast of Somalia last year, the militant group al-Shabab used ships to transport hundreds of its fighters up and down the East African coast.

The near-pristine waters surrounding the Chilean territory of Easter Island, which host a vibrant array of sea life and support a centuries-old local culture, will be home to the world’s newest large marine protected area (MPA). At the International Marine Protected Areas Congress in Valpairaso, Chile, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced that her government will designate the Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Rahui MPA, a decision that was supported by the residents of Easter Island by a wide margin in a referendum just before the start of the 4th International Marine Protected Areas Congress.