World's Largest Marine Reserves

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, 2016

Pew 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, 2016

France 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...

Video

September 20, 2016

Celebrating 10 Years of Global Ocean Legacy’s Commitment to Ocean Protection

Since 2006, The Pew Charitable Trusts Global Ocean Legacy project has worked with indigenous groups, community leaders, government officials, scientists and other organizations to help protect the ocean;...