WWF's Global Marine Programme develops, advocates, and implements solutions for the protection of marine ecosystems and the sustainable use of marine resources.
The marine environment has never before been under such heavy pressure.
Pollution, habitat destruction, unsustainable fishing, tourism development, oil and gas extraction, shipping, aquaculture, and climate change are all taking their toll on marine habitats, marine species and people.
Isolated protected areas cannot effectively conserve marine habitats. Neither can isolated instances of well-managed fisheries.
We therefore promote a large-scale, holistic approach – the conservation and sustainable management of entire marine ecoregions.
A collaborative approach We work in partnership with key stakeholders – such as fishers, local communities, governments, other conservation groups, and global conventions – to find and implement innovative solutions.
We also help bring governments together to cooperate on managing their shared marine resources.
And we bring the realities of overfishing and degraded marine habitats to decision makers so that they are more likely to agree on policies that benefit the environment.