WWF International Review 2016 - 14

OCEANS
Our goal: productive and resilient ocean
ecosystems sustain human well-being and
conserve biodiversity.

OVER 1.5 MILLION KM2 PROTECTED

The creation of the world's largest marine conservation plan for
1.5 million km2 of wilderness in Antarctica's Ross Sea was one
of the key advances in marine protection after concerted WWF
global work and with our partners. Malaysia established the
Tun Mustapha Park, which will provide important protection
to the marine resources of the Coral Triangle. There were also
major advances in marine protected areas in the territories of
Chile, Ecuador, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the UK and
the USA. And offshore oil exploration permits were relinquished
in Lancaster Sound in the Canadian Arctic - home to threequarters of the world's narwhals. This clears the way for a marine
conservation area in one of the most critical Arctic regions.

FISHERIES BREAKTHROUGHS

A groundbreaking international treaty to stop illegal fishing
came into force, signed by the EU and 29 other nations.
Working closely with a number of partners, WWF played a
key role in Europe, Mauritius, Mozambique and South Africa
supporting and agreeing to the treaty (the Port State Measures
Agreement). We are also working with governments to support
the ongoing ratification processes in Kenya and Madagascar.
Significant WWF input and collaboration with Indian Ocean
Tuna Commission (IOTC) member states led to key measures to
protect tuna populations in the Indian Ocean. The IOTC agreed
on measures to control the harvest of skipjack tuna and reduce
overfishing of yellowfin tuna. Also, a new WWF partnership with
the tuna industry on the largest fisheries improvement project
to date will ensure that almost all of the Indian Ocean purseseine tuna fishery is working together towards sustainable and
transparent fishing.

US$5.4 BILLION

A new WWF report showed just how important a healthy ocean
is to Melanesia. Reviving Melanesia's Ocean Economy: The Case
for Action calculated the ocean 'assets' of Fiji, New Caledonia,
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu at more than
US$548 billion, providing an annual economic output of US$5.4
billion. The report highlighted clear actions needed to rebuild
eroding ocean assets such as coral reefs, mangroves and fish
stocks - all essential for biodiversity and human well-being.
The report is already influencing policy discussions in the
region, including the implementation of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals.
WWF Annual Review 2016 | page 14

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/our_global_goals/oceans/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of WWF International Review 2016