Knowra Ocean conservation Ocean conservation Ocean conservation is the protection and sustainable management of marine ecosystems, species, and resources. It combines measures that reduce human pressures with efforts to restore damaged habitats.
Marine protected area : A geographically defined marine space managed to conserve nature and, sometimes, cultural values. These protected places restrict damaging activities in designated parts of the ocean.
Overfishing : Fishing that removes organisms faster than populations can replenish, often disrupting marine food webs. It depletes target species and can alter the ecosystems conservation aims to sustain.
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling : A 1946 treaty that established the International Whaling Commission to regulate commercial whaling. It is an early example of countries coordinating rules to conserve a shared marine resource.
Marine biodiversity : The variety of life in marine environments, from genetic variation to species and ecosystems. Its persistence is a central ecological outcome of ocean conservation.
High seas treaty : The 2023 Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, which creates tools for conserving marine life in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Its implementation tests how countries can establish protected areas beyond national waters.
Sustainable fisheries : Fisheries managed to maintain fish populations and ecosystem health while supporting fishing over time. Catch limits and monitoring can reduce depletion of commercially harvested species.
Marine pollution : The introduction of harmful substances or energy into marine environments through human activity. Pollution controls address chemical, plastic, and nutrient pressures on ocean life.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea : A 1982 treaty establishing a legal framework for maritime zones, navigation, and ocean governance. Its provisions shape states’ duties to protect and preserve the marine environment.
Ecosystem services : The benefits people obtain from ecosystems, including food, coastal protection, and cultural value. Healthy oceans support benefits that conservation seeks to maintain.
30 by 30 : The global target to conserve at least 30 percent of land and sea by 2030. The target raises questions about effective protection, representation, and implementation.
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