Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project

This map has been updated on July 7, 2020 and can be found here.

From the heat of the equator to the deep chills of the North and South poles, the ocean binds the planet together. Covering nearly three-fourths of the globe, the ocean helps sustain life on our planet and is home to nearly a quarter of the world’s known species, and many more yet to be discovered. The ocean provides tens of billions of dollars in economic benefits to governments, communities and countless people. But human activities like illegal fishing, overfishing and habitat destruction, along with the impacts of climate change, are increasingly threatening its health. Research shows that large, fully protected marine reserves are a key tool for addressing many challenges to ocean health. Reserves help conserve valuable biodiversity and protect traditional cultures closely linked to the sea. In 2017, The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Bertarelli Foundation joined forces to form a new partnership, The Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project, with the goal of establishing the world’s first generation of great ocean parks. Between them, they have helped to obtain designations to safeguard over 8 million square kilometers (3 million square miles) of ocean by working with philanthropic partners, indigenous groups, community leaders, government officials, and scientists.