What Went Right this Week: A ‘Turning Point’ for Mangroves, Plus More
June 12, 2026 | Source: Positive News | by Gavin Haines
The world got a marine reserve the size of France
French Polynesia has made one of the single biggest contributions to ocean protection ever after its government announced a new marine reserve the size of France.
Some 200,000 sq miles of ocean surrounding the Austral and Marquesas Islands – two of the most biologically rich archipelagos on Earth – will receive the highest level of protection, with mining, trawling and industrial fishing prohibited, it was announced on Tuesday. Artisanal fishing, central to local food security and culture, will be preserved.
The archipelagos host species that are found nowhere else on Earth, including the Marquesan domino damselfish. They are also critical habitats for endangered sharks, whales, dolphins and sea turtles.