Australia’s Coral Sea, located east of the world-renowned Great Barrier Reef, made history in 2012 following its designation as one of the world’s largest highly protected marine reserves. At 502,238 square kilometers (193,915 square miles), the Coral Sea Marine National Park safeguards critically important marine life such as whales, sea turtles, sharks, and coral reefs.

The Australian government has been reviewing the protective zoning for the Coral Sea Marine National Park and the other marine parks that form its national network of marine parks. As the world’s first and largest national network of its kind, Australia has contributed significantly to global ocean conservation. Pew’s Global Ocean Legacy program worked with the government, stakeholders, and the public to ensure that these parks are protected as promised. As of 2017, the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project continues those efforts.