A 21st century case for large fully-protected marine reserves: working to establish parks in the world's least protected ecosystems

In  1872, the headwaters of the Yellowstone River and the surrounding forests,  canyons and geyser basins were designated the world's first national park.  Since then, most nations around the world have protected important biological  places. Today, depending on how you measure it, six to 12 percent of the world's  land has been protected as national parks or other conservation areas. Our  relationship to the sea has followed a strikingly different course. Although  over two-thirds of the planet's surface is water, little of the marine  environment is protected. Today, less than one percent of the ocean is safe from  exploitation.

Large, highly-protected marine reserves, similar to land-based national parks, have only recently been recognized and utilized as a tool for ocean conservation. The  first was designated in 2005, when the U.S. created the 363,000 km2  Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. In 2010 the U.K. followed with the  designation of the Chagos Marine Reserve-at 640,000 km2 it's currently the world's largest no-take marine reserve. And this past year Australia implemented the 501,000 km2 Coral Sea Marine National Park.

These  new reserves are just the beginning. Countries all over the globe are  considering the creation of very large fully protected marine reserves. My talk  will focus on the significant conservation potential of large no-take marine  reserves and how they are helping to meet international agreements to set aside ten percent of the world's oceans as reserves by 2020.