Global marine protection targets aim to protect 10 - 30% of marine habitats within the next 2 – 4 years, but less than 1% of oceans are currently protected.

There are currently around 5000 MPAs worldwide. Learn more about them on our iMPA pages!

Approximately 2.58 million km² are currently protected, representing only 0.65% of the world’s oceans. By contrast, around 12% of the world's land area is protected.
 

Only 0.08% of the world’s oceans is "no-take", where all extractive uses are prohibited.

The world's three largest marine protected areas are: Phoenix Islands Protected Area (410,500km²), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (344,400km²); and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument ( 341,400 km²). Together, these represent almost half of the global marine area protected.

Globally, most MPAs occur in tropical coastal areas. High latitudes and open ocean areas are, much less well protected, especially the Antarctic.

Over the past 20 years, marine protected areas have grown at around 5% per year. This is at least an order of magnitude slower than is needed for global targets to be met.

If global marine protection targets are to be met on time, another 35 countries must create an MPA the size of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (at 410,500km²) in the next 4 years.

All MPAs currently occur within areas under national jurisdiction (typically from the coast out to 200 miles). The ocean area beyond this, the high seas, are essentially unprotected. 

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