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June 27, 2025

Oceana at UNOC3: A tipping point for Ocean Protection? 

© OCEANA / Franz Mahr

 

This month, the third UN Ocean Conference wrapped up in Nice with big promises, cautious optimism, and reminders of how far we still have to go.

Set against the backdrop of Nice, the global conference brought together heads of state, scientists, advocates, and leaders to chart a course toward a healthier, more sustainable ocean. 

Blue March at UNOC3
© OCEANA / Franz Mahr

The Blue March: Citizens demand action  

One of the most memorable moments was the Blue March, where ocean advocates, took to the streets to call for real, urgent action. The message was loud and clear: what the ocean needs now is bold, decisive action.  

Oceana joined the march with a clear call: Real protection for marine protected areas (MPAs), end destructive practices like bottom trawling, and turn symbolic gestures into enforceable protections. 

UNOC3
© OCEANA / Franz Mahr

A mixed bag of announcements 

The conference delivered a handful of headline commitments. Over 20 new MPAs were announced globally. Portugal made waves with a pledge to fully protect 15% of the waters around the Azores and took steps toward expanding protections for the Gorringe seamount, a vast underwater area rich in biodiversity. 

Spain, too, stepped forward, with plans to designate 25% of its waters as protected and to implement 40 new management plans. A highlight came with the announcement of a trawling ban by Spanish fleets over the Cabliers Bank in the Alboran Sea; a biodiversity hotspot discovered by Oceana scientists in 2011.  

In Denmark, there was more progress: An announcement to commit to trawl bans in its MPAs. But in France, the host nation, announced banning bottom trawling in certain protected areas, yet stopped short of addressing the zones where this destructive practice is still actively taking place. And across the EU, a troubling reality remains: industrial fishing is still allowed in 90% of MPAs. Symbolic protections are not enough. 

UNOC3
© OCEANA / Franz Mahr

A moment of visibility and responsibility 

The summit’s greatest success may lie in its ability to elevate ocean issues on the global agenda. The visibility and urgency generated by UNOC3 sparked conversations well beyond the conference halls. Yet the test lies not in the declarations made under spotlights but in the enforcement of protections.