June 10, 2026
Papeete, Tahiti (June 8, 2026) – To commemorate World Oceans Day, French Polynesia has announced the designation of 515,000 square kilometers of new, fully protected marine areas across the Austral and Marquesas Islands – two of the most remote and extraordinary archipelagos on Earth.
Their addition to French Polynesia’s existing marine protected areas represents the single largest contribution to the global goal of protecting 30% of the world’s lands and waters by 2030.
The Marquesas and Austral archipelagos are home to some of the Indo-Pacific's highest concentrations of endemic marine species, such as the kūpūtea and Marquesan domino damselfish. They are also a critical habitat for endangered sharks, whales, dolphins, sea turtles, as well as a key spawning ground for tuna.
The new protections strengthen conservation measures within French Polynesia's nearly 5 million-square-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Laure Katz, Executive Director of the Blue Nature Alliance, a global coalition co-founded by Conservation International, said:
“These designations deliver above and beyond the landmark commitment President Brotherson made last year, when he announced the creation of the world's largest MPA encompassing French Polynesia's entire EEZ of nearly 5 million square kilometers, including 1.1 million square kilometers under highly or fully protected status. With these new designations, French Polynesia raises the total area under the highest levels of protection beyond President Brotherson's commitment and marks the single largest contribution to the global 30x30 goal.
“Beyond their ecological value, these new MPAs are a forward-looking investment. Keeping those ocean ecosystems as intact as possible in this part of the Pacific will make these waters increasingly valuable in helping ecosystems elsewhere recover. They also act as buffers against adverse climate change effects, and overall, as a support system to sustain local livelihoods.
“The Austral and Marquesas Islands have long been recognized by scientists, conservationists, and local communities alike as among the most ecologically significant ocean environments on the planet. But these protections are also deeply rooted in the will and wisdom of local communities. For a decade, island councils across both archipelagos have championed these designations, not as an outside conservation agenda, but as an expression of their own traditions of ocean stewardship.”
As a founding partner of the Blue Nature Alliance, Conservation International applauds the tireless work of the French Polynesian government and our partner, Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, whose years of advocacy and deep community engagement laid the groundwork for this milestone. Through the Te Moana Collective, a coalition of funders united behind French Polynesia's conservation vision, Conservation International and the Blue Nature Alliance are honored to stand alongside the government as they work towards high-quality implementation and lasting stewardship.
About the Areas – Austral and Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas:
- Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 202;
- Sustains some of the highest concentrations of endemic marine species in the Indo-Pacific;
- Serves as vital habitat for endangered sharks, whales, dolphins and sea turtles; and
- Acts as key spawning grounds that help replenish tuna stocks across the broader Pacific.
The Austral Islands:
- Bridge tropical and temperate zones;
- Host ecosystems found nowhere else in French Polynesia; and
- Waters around Rapa that remain one of the very few places on Earth where large marine predators still dominate the food web as nature intended
###
About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together.