In September 2016, the British government formally established a fully protected marine reserve in the waters surrounding the Pitcairn Islands. A small U.K. overseas territory in the remote central South Pacific Ocean, Pitcairn has one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the world. Within these waters lies one of the planet’s best-preserved ecosystems—a complex community of hard and soft corals that are home to hundreds of species of fish, including two found nowhere else on Earth. Pew, on behalf of its Global Ocean Legacy partners, helped make the case for the reserve’s designation. Today, the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project and its partners are working with the British government and the Pitcairn Island community to implement the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve and protect this important habitat for generations to come.

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Press Releases & Statements

U.K Designates Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve

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Press Releases & Statements

LONDON—The Pew Charitable Trusts joins the Pitcairn Island Council in praising Her Majesty’s government for today’s designation of 320,465 square miles (approximately 830,000 square kilometres) as a marine reserve in the remote waters surrounding the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

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Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy

Pew and the Bertarelli Foundation have joined forces in a new partnership with the goal of increasing the number of fully protected parks in the sea from nine to 15 by 2022.

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From the heat of the equator to the North and South poles, the ocean binds the planet together, supporting communities, maritime industries, and most life on Earth.

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Where We Work
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Global Ocean Legacy works with local communities, governments and scientists around the world to protect and conserve some of our most important and unspoiled ocean environments.

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Global Ocean Legacy works with local communities, governments and scientists around the world to protect and conserve some of our most important and unspoiled ocean environments.

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U.K. Government Builds Its Ocean Legacy

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In March 2015, the United Kingdom declared the world’s largest fully protected marine reserve in the Pitcairn Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. At 834,334 square kilometers (322,138 square miles), the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve is the largest continuous area of protected ocean on the planet.