World's Largest Marine Reserves

This table was updated on June 1, 2018.
This table lists the world's largest highly protected marine reserves. Pew's Global Ocean Legacy campaign collaborates with local communities, governments, and scientists to protect and conserve some of the planet's most important and unspoiled ocean environments through the creation of marine reserves. To date, our efforts have helped safeguard some 2 million square miles (5.2 million square kilometers) of ocean—an area 10 times the size of Central America. This accounts for about 80 percent of all fully protected ocean areas to date.
Related Resources

Press Releases & Statements
December 14, 2016Pew Applauds France’s Full Protection of Marine Areas Surrounding the Crozet and Kerguelen Islands
The Pew Charitable Trusts today joined several environmental groups in praising the announcement by the French government of its expansion of the Réserve naturelle nationale des Terres australes...
Article
October 6, 2016France Looks to Protect Ocean Around Sub-Antarctic Islands
France has joined the global movement to protect the world’s ocean by proposing creation of a large fully protected marine reserve in sub-Antarctic territorial waters in the southern Indian Ocean...