French Polynesia, in the South Pacific, made historic strides in conservation this year as it started to establish a massive marine park.
Happy Eco News reported recently that the project was announced at the United Nations Ocean Conference in France earlier this year. It's set to become the largest marine protected area in the world.
French Polynesia currently boasts more than 100 islands and atolls. This new area will span the territory's exclusive economic zone, which is about 1.9 million square miles.
According to the news report, approximately 420,000 square miles will have strong protection. 350,000 square miles within that area will have full protection -- including complete bans on mining and commercial fishing. An additional 72,000-square-mile area will permit only artisanal/local traditional fishing techniques.
The native population taking local action in this initiative shouldn't experience much change in their traditional behavior. Rāhui is a Tahitian term for community-based conservation like temporarily banning fishing so an ecosystem can replenish itself.
So, it's no surprise that Happy Eco News reported that a survey of 1,378 residents concluded 92% of them support these protected zones.
Deep-sea mining and bottom-trawling activities are banned or limited even in the less strict areas. Under rāhui, residents may even close off sections of lagoons to ensure species regeneration. Typical and more sustainable fish foraging techniques include spearfishing and stone fishing, which reduce harm to underwater habitats.
This conservation could also help French Polynesian President Moetai Brotherson follow through on the pledge he made at the U.N. conference earlier this year. He claimed that 193,000 square miles of ocean, which this marine park would encompass, would receive highly protected status in 2026.
All these protective measures are essential to regional biodiversity, which includes sea turtles, whales, hammerhead sharks, spotted dolphins, manta rays, seagrasses, and various algae.
Thanks to its remote location, reef connectivity, and traditional fishing habits, French Polynesia has some of the healthiest coral in the world. Coral reefs protect coastlines from erosion and harbor various fish species.
While this marine park is groundbreaking, others are making waves in protecting aquatic and terrestrial wildlife globally. The Chumash people and other local tribes will co-manage a national marine sanctuary along central California's coastline. Over 800 acres of land in Barre, Massachusetts, will reportedly have permanent conservation status to protect wildlife and human habitats.
If the French Polynesian marine park maintains its goal of protecting and reviving marine biodiversity, it can help counteract negative effects of our overheating planet. The ocean is a giant carbon and heat sink for the planet. Plus, marine sea life -- specifically plankton -- are responsible for half of the planet's oxygen, according to The Nature Conservancy.