One million square kilometres of ocean just won full protection off Chile

The fishing families of the Juan Fernández islands have cared for their lobster grounds sustainably since 1890 — and this week their patience won the ocean its biggest gift in years. President Gabriel Boric signed a decree granting full protection to 360,000 square kilometres of sea around the Juan Fernández and Nazca-Desventuradas marine parks, taking the fully protected total to 946,571 square kilometres — the third largest fully protected marine area on Earth. Chile now safeguards more than half of its ocean territory. The proposal came from the islanders themselves, and it shelters whales, dolphins, turtles, seabirds and the Juan Fernández fur seal.

SDG 14 · Life below water — Mechanism: policy reform