112-486: The 2017 United Nations Ocean Conference was a United Nations conference that took place on 5-9 June 2017 which sought to mobilize action for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. The Earth 's waters are said to be "under threat as never before", with pollution , overfishing , and the effects of climate change severely damaging the health of our oceans. For instance as oceans are warming and becoming more acidic , biodiversity
224-488: A subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean 800–1,000 km (500–620 mi) northeast of New Zealand 's North Island , and a similar distance southwest of Tonga . The islands are part of New Zealand. They are 33.6 km (13.0 sq mi) in total area and uninhabited, except for the permanently staffed Raoul Island Station, the northernmost outpost of New Zealand. The islands are listed with
336-750: A "need to start working together". Lövin also makes note of difficulties to engage with Washington in the conference, partly because key posts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration remain unfilled since the end of the Obama administration. UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi states that subsidies from wealthy governments encourage overfishing, overcapacity and may contribute to illegal and unregulated fishing , creating food insecurity , unemployment and poverty for people relying mainly on fish as their primary source of nourishment or livelihood. Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson notes that
448-577: A $ 1 million grant toward this fund in the week of the conference. Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Barbara Hendricks also pledged to allocate €670 million for marine conservation projects and made 11 voluntary commitments. Deputy Director-General of the State Oceanic Administrations Lin Shanqing of China − the world's main fish producer and exporter − stated that
560-491: A hostel for Department of Conservation officers and volunteers, that has been maintained since 1937. It lies on the northern terraces of Raoul Island, at an elevation of about 50 m (160 ft), above the cliffs of Fleetwood Bluff. It is the northernmost inhabited outpost of New Zealand. In 1955, the British Government required a large site remote from population centres to test the new thermonuclear devices it
672-422: A key player in the survival of entire ecosystems. They provide various marine animals with food, protection, and shelter which keep generations of species alive. Furthermore, coral reefs are an integral part of sustaining human life through serving as a food source (i.e., fish and mollusks) as well as a marine space for ecotourism which provides economic benefits. Also, humans are now conducting research regarding
784-402: A living. However, many fishermen are unable to catch as many fish as they used to, so they are increasingly using cyanide and dynamite in fishing , which further degrades the coral reef ecosystem. This perpetuation of bad habits simply leads to the further decline of coral reefs and therefore perpetuates the problem. One way of stopping this cycle is by educating the local community about why
896-521: A major decrease in biological diversity of plants and animals in our environment. These impacts include increased pressure from fisheries including reef degradation and overfishing as well as pressure from the tourism industry which has increased over the past few years. The deterioration of coral reefs is mainly linked to human activities – 88% of reefs are threatened through various reasons as listed above, including excessive amounts of CO 2 ( carbon dioxide ) emissions. Oceans absorb approximately 1/3 of
1008-509: A major threat to turtles in their marine environment. Many sea turtles are accidentally captured, injured or killed by fishing. In response to this threat the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) worked with the shrimp trawling industry to create the TEDs. By working with the industry they insured the commercial viability of the devices. A TED is a series of bars that is placed at
1120-537: A maritime culture that's more attuned to the environment". Users of social media worldwide use the hashtag #SaveOurOcean for discussion, information and media related to the conference and its goals. The #CleanSeas cyber campaign calls on governments, industry and citizens to end excessive, wasteful usage of single-use plastic and eliminate microplastics in cosmetics with its petition getting signed by more than 1 million people. Marine conservation Marine conservation , also known as ocean conservation ,
1232-407: A predetermined date every year, Ocean Conservancy promotes The International Coastal Cleanup to rally communities to volunteer to collect trash from the coastlines across the globe. The campaign has expanded originally from its two founders and has now reached over 100 countries. Oceana is an example of an advocacy/lobbying group that encourages donations as a means to enact legislation and protect
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#17328486315441344-573: A red velvet whalefish and an angler fish ( Ceratias tentaculatus ) were found around the waters of the Kermadec Islands by a research partnership between Ngāti Kurī , University of Auckland , Massey University , NIWA , Manaaki Whenua , and the University of Waikato . In 2016, Koha, a hawksbill turtle , which was originally found injured near Dargaville in September 2014, was released around
1456-509: A regulation which requires that 35 percent of the country's shoreline should be natural by 2020. Gabon announced that it will create one of Africa's largest marine protected areas with around 53,000 square kilometres of ocean when combined with its existing zones. New Zealand affirmed the government's commitment to establishing the Kermadec/Rangitahua Ocean Sanctuary , which − with 620,000 square kilometres − would be one of
1568-536: A specific level of protection and a specific allowed range of activities. There are marine conservation non-governmental organizations throughout the world that focus on funding conservation efforts, educating the public and stakeholders, and lobbying for conservation law and policy. Examples of these include: On a regional level, PERSGA, the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of
1680-552: A steward of the natural resources of the earth has been a discouraging one, there has long been a certain comfort in the belief that the sea, at least was inviolate, beyond man’s ability to change and to despoil. But this belief, unfortunately, has proved to be naïve”. Rachel Carson , The Sea Around Us ,(1951) If the oceans die, we all die. – Paul Watson Increasing human populations have resulted in increased human impact on ecosystems. Human activities has resulted in an increased extinction rate of species which has caused
1792-401: A sub-discipline of conservation biology . Public interest in marine biology increased in the post-war years with the publication of Rachel Carson `s sea trilogy (1941-1955); which helped inspire an era known as the "marine revolution". The United States federal legislation showed its support for marine conservation by institutionalizing protected areas and creating marine estuaries. In 1969,
1904-424: A very critical time" has "turned the tide on marine pollution ". He says that "we are now working around the world to restore a relationship of balance and respect towards the ocean". Elizabeth Wilson , director of international conservation at Pew Charitable Trusts thinks that this meeting "will be followed by a whole series of other meetings that we hope will be impacted in a positive way". The next conference
2016-535: Is a lieu-dit in Pencran in Finistère where ker means village, residence and madec a proper name derived from mad (which means 'good') with the suffix -ec , used to form adjectives indicating a property. The Māori name is Rangitāhua which is also used for Raoul island. As indicated by their name for the islands, Rangitāhua ( lit. ' the stopping-off place ' ), Polynesian people "stopped off" on
2128-526: Is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion, part of the Oceanian realm . The forests are dominated by the red-flowering Kermadec pōhutukawa , related to the pōhutukawa of New Zealand. The islands are home to 113 native species of vascular plants , of which 23 are endemic , along with mosses (52 native species), lichens and fungi (89 native species). Most of the plant species are derived from New Zealand, with others having travelled over
2240-420: Is becoming reduced and changing currents will cause more frequent storms and droughts. Every year around 8 million metric tons of plastic waste leak into the ocean and make it into the circular ocean currents . This causes contamination of sediments at the sea-bottom and causes plastic waste to be embedded in the aquatic food chain . It could lead to oceans containing more plastics than fish by 2050 if nothing
2352-563: Is directly addressed by it, which makes it the only international intergovernmental instrument to do so. Through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission , the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) organizes programs in marine research, observation systems, hazard mitigation, and better managing ocean and coastal ecosystems. The Organization is the originator of
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#17328486315442464-438: Is done. Key habitats such as coral reefs are at risk and noise pollution are a threat to whales, dolphins, and other species. Furthermore almost 90 percent of fish stocks are overfished or fully exploited which cost more than $ 80 billion a year in lost revenues. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that decisive, coordinated global action can solve the problems created by humanity. Peter Thomson , President of
2576-679: Is equipped with a means to transmit the collected data via satellite. Though the data are physically stored on the tag, its major advantage is that it does not have to be physically retrieved like an archival tag for the data to be available, making it a viable independent tool for animal behavior studies. These tags have been used to track movements of ocean sunfish , marlin , blue sharks , bluefin tuna , swordfish and sea turtles . Location, depth, temperature, and body movement data are used to answer questions about migratory patterns, seasonal feeding movements, daily habits, and survival after catch and release. Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) remove
2688-766: Is included in the United Nations framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably in SDG 14 ("Life below water"). The text of Target 14.5 is: "By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information". This target has one indicator: Indicator 14.5.1 is the "coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas". The term " Marine Protected Areas " include marine reserves, fully protected marine areas, no-take zones, marine sanctuaries, ocean sanctuaries, marine parks, locally managed marine areas and other. Each area has
2800-478: Is indicated through data collected by the MTSG that analyzes abundance and historical information on the species. This data examined the global population of green turtles at 32 nesting sites, and determined that over the last 100–150 years there has been a 48–65 percent decrease in the number of mature nesting females. The Kemp's ridley sea turtle population fell in 1947 when 33,000 nests, which accounted for 80 percent of
2912-573: Is just 150 km North of the North Island of New Zealand. The ridge eventually connects to White Island in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty , at the northern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone . The islands experience many earthquakes from plate movement and volcanism. Raoul and Curtis are both active volcanoes . The volcanoes on the other islands are currently inactive, and the smaller islands are
3024-498: Is key, as is education of the public about conservation issues. This includes educating tourists that come to an area who might not be familiar with certain regulations regarding the marine habitat. One example of this is a project called Green Fins based in Southeast Asia that uses the scuba diving industry to educate the public. This project, implemented by UNEP , encourages scuba diving operators to educate their students about
3136-402: Is necessary to cater to the needs of fishermen while also protecting marine life. Pop-up satellite archival tag (PSAT or PAT) plays a vital role in marine conservation by providing marine biologists with an opportunity to study animals in their natural environments. These are used to track movements of (usually large, migratory) marine animals. A PSAT is an archival tag (or data logger ) that
3248-600: Is now extinct due to European and Native American whaling. Since the 1960s the global population of monk seals has been rapidly declining. The Hawaiian and Mediterranean monk seals are considered to be one of the most endangered marine mammals on the planet, according to the NOAA . The last sighting of the Caribbean monk seal was in 1952, and it has now been confirmed extinct by the NOAA. The vaquita porpoise, discovered in 1958, has become
3360-412: Is one of New Zealand's largest at a total area of 7,480 km (2,890 sq mi). Goats were removed from Macauley in 1970 and from Raoul in 1984, and the forests have begun to recover. The islands are still known for their bird life, and seabird colonies presently inhabit offshore islets, which are safe from introduced rats and cats. Efforts are currently underway to remove the rats and cats from
3472-639: Is one of the places in the world that is the most impacted by foreign and invasive species. According to the Baykeeper organization, 97 percent of the organisms in the San Francisco Bay have been compromised by the 240 invasive species that have been brought into the ecosystem. Invasive species in the bay such as the Asian clam have changed the food web of the ecosystem by depleting populations of native species such as plankton. The Asian clam clogs pipes and obstructs
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3584-976: Is the Kermadec red-crowned parakeet . The group has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because of its significance as a breeding site for several species of seabirds, including white-necked and black-winged petrels , wedge-tailed and little shearwaters , sooty terns and blue noddies . The area also hosts rich habitats for cetaceans. In recent years, increased presences of humpback whales indicate Kermadec Islands functioning as migratory corridors, and varieties of baleen (not in great numbers) and toothed whales including minke whales , sperm whales , less known beaked whales , killer whales , and dolphins frequent in adjacent waters. In late September 2015, satellite tags were attached to 25 humpback whales around Raoul Island, which were tracked to feeding grounds in Antarctica and across to
3696-609: Is the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas through planned management in order to prevent the over-exploitation of these marine resources . Marine conservation is informed by the study of marine plants and animal resources and ecosystem functions and is driven by response to the manifested negative effects seen in the environment such as species loss , habitat degradation and changes in ecosystem functions and focuses on limiting human-caused damage to marine ecosystems , restoring damaged marine ecosystems, and preserving vulnerable species and ecosystems of
3808-469: Is the widely acknowledged system in charge of resolving all matters regarding the law of the sea. The Convention regulates all facets of ocean space, including delimitation, environmental control, marine scientific research, economic and commercial activity, transfer of technology, and the resolution of disputes pertaining to ocean issues. It has 320 articles and nine annexes. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) works to safeguard oceans and seas and encourage
3920-981: The Convention on the protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage , the Global Ocean Observing System and UNESCO global geoparks . Around 1 800 quantifiable and monetary pledges totaling $ 108 billion have been obtained since 2017 for the UN Ocean Conference and the Our Ocean Conference. At the 1998 Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, environmental ministers from 15 Northeast Atlantic states and members of
4032-608: The Endangered Species Act , and in 1998, it was granted protection as an endangered species. It is now known to be a clone of the widespread Halophila ovalis and protection was withdrawn. Data on this plant is limited, but it is known that since the 1970s there has been a 50 percent decrease in abundance. There are many reasons behind the decline in the seagrass's proliferation, such as degradation of water quality, careless boating activities, anchoring. In addition to that hurricane activity caused by climate change , increase
4144-540: The Kermadec Trench , an 8 km deep submarine trench , to the east of the islands. The islands lie along the undersea Kermadec Ridge, which runs southwest from the islands towards the North Island of New Zealand and northeast towards Tonga ( Kermadec-Tonga Arc ). The four main islands are the peaks of volcanoes that rise high enough from the seabed to project above sea level. There are several other volcanoes in
4256-592: The National Marine Sanctuaries program. In 2010, the Scottish Parliament enacted new legislation for the protection of marine life with the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 . Its provisions include marine planning, marine licensing, marine conservation, seal conservation, and enforcement. Since 2006, United Nations introduce vulnerable marine ecosystem concept for the management of deep-sea fisheries in
4368-569: The New Zealand outlying islands . The islands are an immediate part of New Zealand, but not part of any region or district , but instead an Area Outside Territorial Authority . The islands were named after the Breton captain Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec , who visited the islands as part of the d'Entrecasteaux expedition in the 1790s. The topographic particle "Kermadec" is of Breton origin and
4480-454: The North pacific seastar which was introduced to Tasmania, Australia. Vectors for the translocation of organisms include hull biofouling , the dumping of ballast water and dumping of water from marine aquaria. A tank of ballast water is estimated to contain around 3,000 non-native species. Once established, it is difficult to eradicate an exotic organism from an ecosystem. The San Francisco Bay
4592-661: The Pacific bluefin tuna from "least concerned" to "vulnerable" on a scale that represents level of extinction risk. The Pacific bluefin tuna is targeted by the fishing industry mainly for its use in sushi. A stock assessment released in 2013 by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean (ISC) shows that the Pacific bluefin tuna population dropped by 96 percent in
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4704-540: The Yangtze − carry an around 1.15–2.41 million tonnes of plastic into the sea every year. UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that unless nations overcome short-term territorial and resource interests the state of the oceans will continue to deteriorate. He also names "the artificial dichotomy " between jobs and healthy oceans as one of the main challenges and asks for strong political leadership , new partnerships and concrete steps. Deputy Secretary-General of
4816-562: The marine life . Marine conservation is a relatively new discipline which has developed as a response to biological issues such as extinction and marine habitats change. Marine conservationists rely on a combination of scientific principles derived from marine biology , Ecology , oceanography , and fisheries science , as well as on human factors, such as demand for marine resources, maritime law , economics, and policy, in order to determine how to best protect and conserve marine species and ecosystems. Marine conservation may be described as
4928-495: The 19th century and often visited the islands in search of water, wood and food. The first such vessel on record was the whaler Fanny that visited Raoul Island in 1823. On 1 August 1886, HMS Diamond annexed the islands for the United Kingdom. European settlers have lived on the island for varying lengths of time, from the early nineteenth century until 1937, growing food for the whalers. The Thomas Bell family settled on
5040-724: The Antarctic Peninsula. Vast numbers of southern right whales were historically seen in southwestern areas although only a handful of recent confirmations exist around Raoul Island . The deep sea hydrothermal vents along the Kermadec ridge support diverse extremophile communities including the New Zealand blind vent crab . Three new records of tropical reef fishes were recorded from the Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve in 2015 after researchers examined hundreds of hours of unused documentary film footage, and in 2016,
5152-465: The CO 2 produced by humans, which has detrimental effects on the marine environment. The increasing levels of CO 2 in oceans change the seawater chemistry by decreasing the pH , which is known as ocean acidification . Oil spills also impact marine environments, contributing to marine pollution as a result of human activity. The effects of oil on marine fish have been studied following major spills in
5264-642: The Coastal Maine National Wildlife Refuge was renamed the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge , highlighting Carson's contribution. The refuge protects various kinds of habitat, including barrier beach , dune , tidal estuary , salt marsh, and rocky coastline. However, it wasn't until the 1970s when the modern science of marine conservation would become first recognised; with undersea explorations equipped with new technologies, such as computers, being undertaken at
5376-671: The European Commission agreed to identify marine species, habitats, and ecosystems that need protection and to "promote the establishment of a network of marine protected areas to ensure the sustainable use, protection, and conservation of marine biological diversity.” In June 2023, the High Seas Treaty was adopted by the UN to better protect marine environment and ecosystems in international waters. It needs ratification by at least 60 member states to enter into force. Marine conservation
5488-660: The Government halted work on the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill. In October–November 2016, a collaborative team of researchers from Auckland Museum , University of Auckland , Massey University , NIWA and Te Papa undertook research around Kermadec Islands aboard RV Tangaroa . The multi-disciplinary team investigated the biodiversity of organisms living on the ocean floor and at midwater. The marine mammal populations were examined to determine what animal and plant species are shared between mainland New Zealand and
5600-538: The Kermadec Islands are an extension of the ridge running from Tonga to New Zealand (see Geology ). Star of Bengal Bank, 103 km (64 mi) south-southwest of L'Esperance Rock, has a least depth of 48 metres (157 ft). The islands are a volcanic island arc , formed at the convergent boundary where the Pacific Plate subducts under the Indo-Australian Plate . The subducting Pacific Plate created
5712-626: The Kermadec islands in around the 14th century (and perhaps previously in the 10th century). Their arrival is also evident in the presence of introduced taro and candlenut growing wild in certain areas of Raoul Island supported by its relatively warm climate. However, the first Europeans to reach the area – arriving on board the Lady Penrhyn in May 1788 – found no inhabitants on these volcanic islands since. British, American and Australian whaling vessels cruised offshore in
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#17328486315445824-661: The New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announced the creation of the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary , a 620,000 km (239,383 sq mi) protected area in the Kermadec Islands region. However, subsequently, fishing companies and iwi bodies filed legal action opposing it, and a coalition deal with the New Zealand First Party has led to the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill not passing its second reading as of 2019. In late March 2024,
5936-536: The Ocean Conference also sought to raise global awareness of ocean problems. On 9 June an official side event of the United Nations Ocean Conference for addressing ways by which the private sector provides practical solutions to address the problems such as by improving energy efficiency, waste management and introducing market-based tools to shift investment, subsidy and production. Nine of
6048-728: The Pacific Ocean. According to the ISC assessment, 90 percent of the Pacific bluefin tuna caught are juveniles that have not reproduced. Between 2011 and 2014, the European eel , Japanese eel , and American eel were put on the IUCN red list of endangered species. In 2015, the Environmental Agency concluded that the number of European eels has declined by 95 percent since 1990. An Environmental Agency officer, Andy Don, who has been researching eels for
6160-627: The Pacific. 152 human- introduced species of plants have become established on the islands. Dense subtropical forests cover most of Raoul, and formerly covered Macauley. Metrosideros kermadecensis is the dominant forest tree, forming a 10 – 15-metre (30 – 50-foot) high canopy. A native nīkau palm ( Rhopalostylis baueri ) is another important canopy tree. The forests have an understory of smaller trees, shrubs, ferns, and herbs, including Myrsine kermadecensis ; Lobelia anceps , Poa polyphylla , Coprosma acutifolia , and Coriaria arborea . Two endemic tree ferns , Alsophila milnei and
6272-562: The Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, is a regional entity which serves as the secretariat for the Jeddah Convention-1982, one of the first regional marine agreements. PERSGA member states are Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. There have been a number of organized efforts from marine conservation groups such as those aforementioned in this article to raise awareness of
6384-660: The Sylvia Earle Alliance, Deep Search Foundation, and Deep Search). Mission Blue aims to establish marine protected areas (dubbed "Hope Spots") around the globe with the support of more than two hundred organisations. These supporters range from large, global companies to small, bespoke research teams. That same year Earle also published 'The World is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One', widely acclaimed as being 'a Silent Spring for our era'; in which Earle reveals how just 50 years of swift and dangerous oceanic change threatens
6496-599: The UN General Assembly, highlighted the conference's significance, saying "if we want a secure future for our species on this planet, we have to act now on the health of the ocean and on climate change". The conference sought to find ways and urge for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 . Its theme is "Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14". It also asked governments, UN bodies, and civil society groups to make voluntary commitments for action to improve
6608-504: The UN's work alone is not nearly enough and that for a solution to this existential crisis of the health of our global environment, strong and inspired leadership at all levels – from mayors, to governors, CEOs, scientists, artists and presidents is needed. In 2010 the international community agreed to protect 10% of the ocean by 2020 in the Convention on Biological Diversity 's Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and Sustainable Development Goal 14. However as of June 2017 less than 3% of
6720-566: The United Nations Amina J Mohammed warns about the harm of overlooking the climate concerns in turn for perceived "national gain", claiming that "a moral obligation to the world which [one] live[s] on" exists. India, attended indirectly via two non-governmental organisations until 9 June when Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar told the conference that the negative impact of overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change are becoming increasingly clear and that
6832-480: The United States. Shipping is a major vector for the introduction of exotic marine species, some of which can become overabundant and transform ecosystems. Collisions with ships can also be fatal for whales and can impact on the viability of whole populations, including the right whale population off the east coast of the United States. Coral reefs are the epicenter of immense amounts of biodiversity and are
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#17328486315446944-691: The World Ocean Festival took place at New York City's Governors Island . The festival was hosted by the City of New York , organized by the Global Brain Foundation and was free and open to the public. China announced a new international sailing competition and Noahs Sailing Club press officer Rebecca Wang stated that "sailing allows for a better appreciation of the ocean and the natural environment. Many wealthy Chinese think of luxury yachts when they think of maritime sports , and we're trying to foster
7056-455: The air or by water, gliding over and under the ocean’s surface. She conveyed the sense that she was the living ocean…” In 2010, over 100 scientists, business leaders, philanthropists, and entertainment icons came together to support Dr. Sylvia Earle ’s Mission Blue wish and the following year, Gigi Brisson founded a group of Ocean Elders with the goal of unifying scientists with government and entertainment leaders. “Although man’s record as
7168-668: The areas beyond national jurisdiction. This concept has been transposed by the European parliament for Atlantic European waters. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea establishes guidelines for all uses of the oceans' resources and establishes a comprehensive regime of law and order in the world's oceans and seas. On December 10, 1982, the convention was made available for signature at Montego Bay, Jamaica . More than 150 nations representing all world regions, all legal and political systems, and
7280-511: The chain that do not reach sea level, but form seamounts with between 65 and 1500 m of water above their peaks. Monowai Seamount , with a depth of 120 m over its peak, is midway between Raoul Island and Tonga. 100 km south of L'Esperance Rock is the little-explored Star of Bengal Bank , probably with submarine volcanoes. Further south are the South Kermadec Ridge Seamounts , the southernmost of which, Rumble IV Seamount ,
7392-489: The conference over the course of the week. The Governments of Fiji and Sweden had the co-hosting responsibilities of the Conference. 7 partnership dialogues with a rich state-developed state theme were co-chaired by Australia-Kenya, Iceland-Peru, Canada-Senegal, Estonia-Grenada, Italy-Palau, Monaco-Mozambique and Norway-Indonesia. Ministers from small island states such as Palau, Fiji and Tuvalu pleaded for help as for them
7504-500: The conservation of marine spaces that include coral reefs is important. Overfishing is one of main causes of the decrease in the ocean's wildlife population over the past years. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation reported that the percentage of the world's fish stocks that are at biologically sustainable levels have decreased from 90% in 1974 to 65.8% in 2017. The overfishing of these large fisheries destroys
7616-559: The country would be "willing, based on its own development experience, to work actively for the establishment in the area of the ocean of an open, inclusive, concrete, pragmatic, mutually beneficial and win-win blue partnership with other countries and international organizations". The conference ended with the adoption by consensus of a 14-point Call for Action by the 193 UN member states in which they affirmed their "strong commitment to conserve and sustainably use our oceans, seas and marine resources tor sustainable development". With this call,
7728-412: The early hours of 5 March 2021, leading to several strong aftershocks and a tsunami advisory on the North Coast of North Island and other Pacific islands, including Norfolk Island, Australia . Other magnitude 8 earthquakes have struck near the islands in 1917 and 1976. The islands are recognised by the World Wildlife Fund as a distinct ecoregion , the Kermadec Islands subtropical moist forests. It
7840-500: The effectiveness of marine conservation through change caused by social events and encourage sustainable tourism development to raise the public awareness of it. Researchers suggest integrating customary management into marine conservation and emphasize that practical and conceptual differences exist between customary management and contemporary conservation which have often led to failed attempts to hybridize these systems. Others have suggested to integrate marine conservation and tourism,
7952-474: The end of the decade. During these explorations, fundamental principles of change were discovered in relation to marine ecosystems. Through this discovery, the interdependent nature of the ocean was revealed. This led to a change in the approach of marine conservation efforts, and a new emphasis was put on restoring systems within the environment, along with protecting biodiversity. In 1972 Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) passed, beginning
8064-522: The eroded remnants of extinct volcanoes. From 18 to 21 July 2012, Havre Seamount (near Havre Rock) erupted , breaching the ocean surface from a depth of more than 1100 m and producing a large raft of pumice floating northwest of the volcano. The eruption was not directly observed, but it was located using earthquake and remote sensing data after the pumice raft was spotted by aircraft and encountered by HMNZS Canterbury . The islands are seismically active. An 8.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in
8176-611: The establishment of conservation areas can help reduce conflicts. Zoning the protected areas enables the grouping of compatible areas into specific zones and the separation of incompatible areas. Common techniques to raise the general public's attention also include exposure to the concept of the carbon footprint and to educate people to make sustainable food choices and use fewer plastic products. Marine conservation technologies are used to protect endangered and threatened marine organisms and/or habitat. These technologies are innovative and revolutionary because they reduce by-catch, increase
8288-483: The flow of water in electrical generating facilities. Their presence in the San Francisco Bay has cost the United States an estimated one billion dollars in damages. Baleen whales were predominantly hunted from 1600 through the mid-1900s, and were nearing extinction when a global ban on commercial whaling was put into effect in 1986 by the IWC (International Whaling Convention). The Atlantic gray whale, last sighted in 1740,
8400-461: The full range of socio-economic development participated. The Convention introduced new legal concepts, addressed new issues, and combined the conventional norms for the usage of the oceans into one document. The convention also established the framework for furthering the study of particular facets of maritime law. On November 16, 1994, the Convention came into effect in line with article 308. Today, it
8512-567: The health of the oceans with over 1,000 commitments − such as on managing protected areas − being made. Since 2014, the UN Ocean Conference and Our Ocean Conference have gathered over 2,160 financial and other quantifiable pledges, mobilising more than $ 130 billion. Participants include heads of State and Government, civil society representatives, business people, actors, academics and scientists and ocean and marine life advocates from around 200 countries. Around 6,000 leaders gathered for
8624-500: The human impact on the situation and inspire people to take action. Some groups take on more public facing campaigns that directly attempt to get civilians engaged with the issue compared to other groups who encourage donations from civilians which goes towards lobbying and advocacy towards the government. Ocean Conservancy and its International Coastal Cleanup is an example of a public-facing campaign that aims to increase participation in conservation efforts among every day civilians. On
8736-761: The importance of marine conservation and encourage them to dive in an environmentally friendly manner that does not damage coral reefs or associated marine ecosystems. Scientists divide the process by a few parts, and there are various techniques in each part of it. In marking and capturing, the normal techniques include techniques for restraint in pinnipeds, chemical restraint and immobilization in pinnipeds, techniques for capture-release of cetaceans and techniques for restraint and handling. Recently, some novel approaches include remote sensing techniques to model exposure of coastal-marine ecosystems to riverine flood plumes and advanced iconography. Techniques also include many social science-based methods. Many researchers have found
8848-550: The island from 1878 to 1914. One of the Bell daughters, Bessie Dyke, recounted the family's experience to writer Elsie K. Morton who published their story in 1957 as Crusoes of Sunday Island . The islands were annexed to New Zealand in 1887 according to one source. However the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand states the annexation happened in 1886. The Raoul Island Station consists of a government meteorological and radio station, and
8960-541: The islands is 33.6 km (12.97 sq mi). The climate of the islands is subtropical , with a mean monthly temperature of 22.4 °C (72.3 °F) in February and 16.0 °C (60.8 °F) in August. Rainfall is approximately 1,500 mm (60 in) annually, with lower rainfall from October to January. The group includes four main islands as well as some isolated rocks. These are: Seamounts north and south of
9072-475: The islands, as well as some of the invasive exotic plants. Visits to the islands are restricted by the Department of Conservation. The department allows visits to Raoul by volunteers assisting in environmental restoration or monitoring projects, and other visitors engaged in nature study. Visits to the other islands are generally restricted to those engaged in scientific study of the islands. On 29 September 2015,
9184-471: The islands. Holland refused, fearing an adverse public reaction in the upcoming 1957 general election . Despite reassurances and pressure from the British government, Holland remained firm. The islands lie within 29° to 31.5° south latitude and 178° to 179° west longitude, 800–1,000 km (500–620 mi) northeast of New Zealand's North Island , and a similar distance southwest of Tonga . The total area of
9296-420: The issue is existential not just on the long-term. Over 1,300 voluntary commitments have been made which UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo called "truly impressive" and stated that they now comprise "an ocean solution registry" via the public online platform. 44 percent of the commitments came from governments, 19 percent from NGOs, 9 percent from UN entities and 6 percent from
9408-696: The laws of the ocean. Specifically, Oceana is currently lobbying to prevent the expansion of offshore drilling with emphasis in areas such as the Arctic and Belize. Oceana is currently mentioned in a wide range of bills in the US Congress regarding issues such as anti-drilling protections on the Atlantic coast and the penalty for buying, selling, possessing, or transporting shark fins. Kermadec Islands#Conservation The Kermadec Islands ( / ˈ k ɜːr m ə d ɛ k / KUR -mə-dek ; Māori : Rangitāhua ) are
9520-515: The marine conservation movement. The act allowed the regulation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over dumping in the seas. Though the act was later amended, it was one of several key events to bring marine issues towards the front of environmental issues in the United States. In 2009, Sylvia Earle received the million dollar TED prize which led to the foundation of Mission Blue (also known as
9632-521: The marine environment and threatens the livelihood of billions who depend on fish as protein or as a source of income for catching and selling. According to the World Wildlife Fund , illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is a major factor in overfishing. Illegal fishing is estimated to account for up to 30% of the catch for some high value species, and the industry is estimated to be worth $ 36 billion per year. Overabundance can occur when
9744-610: The most endangered marine species. Over half the population has disappeared since 2012, leaving 100 left in 2014. The vaquita frequently drowns in fishing nets, which are used illegally in marine protected areas off the Gulf of Mexico. In 2004, the Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG), from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), ran an assessment which determined that green turtles were globally endangered. Population decline in ocean basins
9856-401: The ocean are under some form of protection. Pledges made during the conference would add around an additional 4.4 percent of protected marine areas, increasing the protected total to around 7.4% of the ocean. A later study (in 2018), reveals that 3,6% was protected. Peter Thomson called the conference was a success, stating that he was "satisfied with [its] results", that the conference "held at
9968-477: The ocean", and asks for more maritime research and the sharing of knowledge to craft common science-based policies . Peru co-chaired the "Partnership Dialogue 6 – Increasing scientific knowledge, and developing research capacity and transfer of marine technology " with Iceland. On 7 June researchers at the Dutch The Ocean Cleanup foundation published a study according to which rivers − such as
10080-434: The past 20 years, said, "There is no doubt that there is a crisis. People have been reporting catching a kilo of glass eels this year when they would expect to catch 40 kilos. We have got to do something." Johnson's seagrass , a food source for the endangered green sea turtle, reproduces asexually , which limits its ability to populate and colonize habitats. This seagrass was formerly the only marine plant to be listed under
10192-405: The platform is can easily incorporate additional data sources which may allow "mov[ing] from raw data to quickly producing dynamic visualizations and reporting that promote scientific discovery and support policies for better fishery management ". Irina Bokova of UNESCO notes that "we cannot manage what we cannot measure, and no single country is able to measure the myriad changes taking place in
10304-462: The population of a certain species cannot be controlled naturally or by human intervention. The domination of one species can create an imbalance in an ecosystem, which can lead to the demise of other species and of the habitat. Overabundance occurs predominately among invasive species . The international shipping trade has led to the establishment of many marine species beyond their native ranges. Some of these can have adverse consequences, such as
10416-613: The population, were collected and sold by villagers in Racho Nuevo, Mexico. In the early 1960s only 5,000 individuals were left, and between 1978 and 1991, 200 Kemp's Ridley Turtles nested annually. In 2015, the World Wildlife Fund and National Geographic Magazine named the Kemp's ridley the most endangered sea turtle in the world, with 1000 females nesting annually. In 2014, the IUCN moved
10528-504: The populations of endangered species through artificial means. Another focus of conservationists is on curtailing human activities that are detrimental to either marine ecosystems or species through policy, techniques such as fishing quotas , like those set up by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization , or laws such as those listed below. Recognizing the economics involved in human use of marine ecosystems
10640-499: The private sector. Delegates from China, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines pledged to work to keep plastics out of the seas. The Maldives announced a phase out of its non- biodegradable plastic and Austria pledged to reduce the number of plastic bags used per person to 25 a year by 2019. Several nations announced plans for new marine protected areas. China plans to establish 10 to 20 "demonstration zones" by 2020 and introduced
10752-416: The rare and endangered Alsophila kermadecensis , are also found in the forests. Areas near the seashore and exposed to salt spray are covered by a distinct community of shrubs and ferns, notably Myoporum obscurum , Coprosma petiolata , Asplenium obtusatum , Cyperus ustulatus , Disphyma australe , and Ficinia nodosa . The islands have no native land mammals. An endemic bird subspecies
10864-453: The reaction from US mayors, governors and many in the corporate world as "wonderful". On 30 May Sweden's deputy prime minister Isabella Lövin stated that the United States is resisting plans to highlight how climate change is disrupting life in the oceans at the conference, that the US has negatively affected preparations and that "the decline of the oceans is really a threat to the entire planet" with
10976-762: The risk of extinction. Strategies and techniques for marine conservation tend to combine theoretical disciplines, such as population biology, with practical conservation strategies, such as setting up protected areas, as with marine protected areas (MPAs) or Voluntary Marine Conservation Areas . These protected areas may be established for a variety of reasons and aim to limit the impact of human activity. These protected areas operate differently which includes areas that have seasonal closures and/or permanent closures as well as multiple levels of zoning that allow people to carryout different activities in separate areas; including, speed, no take and multi-use zones. Other techniques include developing sustainable fisheries and restoring
11088-415: The survivorship and health of marine life and habitat, and benefit fishermen who depend on the resources for profit. Examples of technologies include marine protected areas (MPAs), turtle excluder devices (TEDs), autonomous recording unit , pop-up satellite archival tag , and radio-frequency identification (RFID). Commercial practicality plays an important role in the success of marine conservation because it
11200-521: The symptoms but not the cause of the declines. Examples of halfway technologies include hatcheries and fish ladders. International laws and treaties related to marine conservation include the 1966 Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas . United States laws related to marine conservation include the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act , as well as the 1972 Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act , which established
11312-584: The time for action would be "already long overdue". Bolivia's President Evo Morales told the conference that, one of the world's main polluters, the United States denied science, turned its backs on multilateralism, and attempted to deny a future to upcoming generations by its national government deciding to leave the Paris agreement , making "it the main threat to Mother Earth and life itself". Albert II, Prince of Monaco called Trump's withdrawal "catastrophic" and
11424-464: The top or bottom of a trawl net, fitting the bars into the "neck" of the shrimp trawl and acting as a filter to ensure that only small animals may pass through. The shrimp will be caught but larger animals such as marine turtles that become caught by the trawler will be rejected by the filter function of the bars. Similarly, halfway technologies work to increase the population of marine organisms. However, they do so without behavioral changes, and address
11536-412: The understory of Raoul Island. Predation by rats and cats reduced the seabird colonies on the main islands from millions of birds to tens of thousands. The New Zealand government has been working for the last few decades to restore the islands. New Zealand declared the islands a nature reserve in 1937, and the sea around them a marine reserve in 1990. The marine reserve surrounds each of the islands and
11648-503: The use of corals as new potential sources for pharmaceuticals (i.e. steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs). Because of the human impact on coral reefs, these ecosystems are becoming increasingly degraded and in need of conservation. The biggest threats include overfishing , destructive fishing practices, sedimentation, and pollution from land-based sources. This, in conjunction with increased carbon in oceans, coral bleaching, and diseases, means that there are no pristine reefs anywhere in
11760-468: The very existence of life on Earth. Sylvia Earle life work has also been shaped directly by Rachel Carson, whose talent she rhapsodizes about in the Introduction to the 2018 edition of Carson’s 1951 best-seller, The Sea Around Us: “Most remarkable to me is what she did imagine. Her writings are so sensitive to the feelings of fish, birds and other animals that she could put herself in their place, buoyed by
11872-496: The waters of Raoul Island and nursed back to health at Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium . The release was from the deck of the RV Tangaroa , with land in sight to enable Koha to orientate itself to prevent the risk of getting lost in the open ocean. The introduction of cats, rats , and goats devastated the forests and seabirds. Overgrazing by goats eliminated the forests of Macauley Island, leaving open grasslands, and altered
11984-493: The wise use of marine resources, particularly through its Regional Seas Program. The sole international legal foundation for regional ocean and sea protection is the Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans. The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities was also established by UNEP. The relationship between terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems
12096-609: The world's biggest fishing companies from Asia, Europe and the US have signed up for The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS) initiative, supported by the Stockholm Resilience Centre , aiming to end unsustainable practices . At the conference Indonesia published its vessel monitoring system (VMS) publicly revealing the location and activity of its commercial fishing boats on the Global Fishing Watch public mapping platform. Brian Sullivan states that
12208-466: The world's largest fully protected areas. Pakistan also announced its first marine protected area. The US-based international wildlife organisation Wildlife Conservation Society created the MPA Fund in 2016 as well as the blue moon fund for a combined $ 15 million commitment which aims to create 3.7 million square kilometers of new marine protected areas with The Tiffany & Co. Foundation adding
12320-546: The world. Up to 88% of coral reefs in Southeast Asia are now threatened, with 50% of those reefs at either "high" or "very high" risk of disappearing, which directly affects the biodiversity and survival of species dependent on coral. This is especially harmful to island nations such as Samoa , Indonesia , and the Philippines , because many people there depend on the coral reef ecosystems to feed their families and to make
12432-694: Was developing. Various islands in the South Pacific and Southern Oceans were considered, along with Antarctica. In May 1955, the Minister for Defence, Selwyn Lloyd , on advice from the Admiralty report, concluded that the Kermadec Islands would be suitable. As the island group was part of New Zealand, Anthony Eden , who had recently become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, wrote to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Sidney Holland , to ask for permission to use
12544-640: Was scheduled for 2020, but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Portugal's Minister for the Seas, Ana Paula Vitorino stated that Lisbon would like to host the next event in 2020. Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed also offered for Kenya to host the next event. The event coincided with the World Oceans Day on 8 June and started with the World Environment Day on 5 June. On 4 June
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