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11/06/2025
At the opening of the United Nations Ocean Conference - UNOC -, the President of French Polynesia, Moetai Brotherson, officially announced the designation of the Polynesian Exclusive Economic Zone as a marine protected area. In total, 900,000 km² of the EEZ are placed under strict protection - IUCN categories I and II - while 200,000 km² of coastal areas are placed under strong protection.
From a managed marine area to a protected natural space. The President of the Country had already presented, during an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting, the measures intended to obtain international recognition for the Polynesian EEZ, named Tainui Atea.
This Monday, during the official opening of UNOC, Moetai Brotherson proclaimed the classification of the entire Exclusive Economic Zone of French Polynesia as a protected natural area. This immense maritime space alone represents nearly half of France’s maritime domain.
With 4.8 million km² now protected, including 900,000 km² placed under strict protection - IUCN categories I and II - and 200,000 km² of coastal zones under strong protection, this marine protected area becomes the largest in the world. It therefore surpasses the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, which covers approximately 1.5 million km² in the Pacific Ocean.
The announcement quickly triggered numerous reactions within the international community. While French President Emmanuel Macron had already praised the initiative on social media, other personalities also expressed their support. Among them were Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, John Kerry, former United States Secretary of State and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate under Joe Biden, Minna Epps, Director of Global Ocean Policy at the IUCN, and the American oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle.
"We congratulate French Polynesia for its vision and hope this marks a new trend toward the establishment of large-scale highly protected marine areas," said Razan Al Mubarak, President of the IUCN, quoted in a statement.
This announcement alone allows France, whose maritime domain covers around 11 million km² - the second largest in the world - to raise the share of its waters placed under protection to 78%. This concept nevertheless includes varying levels of protection, sometimes covering areas where activity restrictions remain limited.
Across all these areas, 14.8% of French waters are now considered strongly protected, compared with 4.8% before the announcement made by French Polynesia.