French Polynesia has taken a major step in ocean conservation by widening the area where seabed mining and industrial fishing are off-limits. With the latest decision, 30% of its waters now fall under full protection.
The territory first launched the Tainui Atea marine protected area in 2025, covering nearly 5 million square kilometers across its exclusive economic zone. Of that total, about 900,000 square kilometers near the Society Islands and the Gambier Islands were designated as fully protected waters.
On June 7, 2026, President Moetai Brotherson announced an additional expansion of 520,000 square kilometers near the Austral, Marquesas and Western Society islands. The new measure raises the fully protected area to roughly 1.4 million square kilometers.
The conservation plan keeps space for local communities through artisanal fishing zones, while limiting activity to small boats using single pole-and-line methods. In 2025, these zones covered 190,000 square kilometers, and more than 8,000 square kilometers will be added in 2026.
The protected waters are designed to safeguard a rich marine ecosystem, including 20 shark species, among them the scalloped hammerhead and oceanic whitetip. The area also supports breeding grounds for 22 bird species, plus swordfish, bigeye tuna, opah, sea turtles, marine mammals and hundreds of mollusk and fish species.
French Polynesia's approach combines local consensus, long-term planning and satellite-based monitoring, creating a model that blends conservation with community use. It reflects a growing vision for ocean stewardship that could influence marine protection strategies worldwide.
