The remote islands of the Juan Fernández Archipelago are celebrating a landmark moment for ocean conservation after Gabriel Boric, President of Chile, signed a decree granting full protection to 360,000km² of waters surrounding the archipelago and the Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park.

Once fully implemented, the designation will bring the total fully protected area in the region to 946,571km², making it the third largest fully protected marine area in the world, behind the Ross Sea and the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

The move also means Chile will surpass 50% protection of its exclusive economic zone, placing it alongside global leaders including French Polynesia and Panama.

The milestone follows a proposal submitted last year by the islands’ residents, who have managed their iconic lobster fishery sustainably since 1890. Their plan called for expanding conservation areas around the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas archipelagos, which form part of a vast underwater mountain chain that supports remarkable levels of endemism.

Among the unique wildlife found here are the Juan Fernández fur seal, alongside lobster, octopus and a wide range of marine life. The strengthened protections will safeguard habitat for whales, dolphins, turtles, seabirds and numerous fish species across this remote Pacific seascape.

The designation builds on a long history of conservation across the islands. A network of marine protected areas already covers more than 580,000km² around the archipelagos, and the latest expansion significantly strengthens the level of protection across these waters.

Chile’s decision also reinforces its position as a global leader in marine conservation. The country has been a strong supporter of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the international agreement under which nations committed to protecting at least 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030 in order to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Pablo Manríquez Angulo, mayor of Robinson Crusoe Island, said: “This commitment reflects the heart of our community. Expanding marine protections is not only about conserving biodiversity, it’s about safeguarding our culture, our traditions, and the future of our children.

”We are proud to have led the way in this globally significant contribution.”

Max Bello, is a global MPA specialist at Blue Marine Foundation. He has called today’s action a ‘heart-warming moment’ for local communities who have this week – and after decades of work – been “rewarded for their commitment and perseverance by the Chilean government.”

“For the endemic marine species of the islands and their waters this represents a decisive win,” he said.

Blue Marine Foundation worked alongside Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, Island Conservation and Fundación Patagonia Azul to support the Organización Comunitaria Funcional Mar de Juan Fernández and the wider Juan Fernández community in advancing the proposal.

Dan Crockett, Executive Director of Blue Marine Foundation, added: “The community of Juan Fernández , president Gabriel Boric and the Chilean government are to be hugely congratulated for this legal designation. As the world advances towards 2030, fully protected areas of this scale are critically important.

“If every country could do what Chile has, the world would be able to effectively protect far more than 30% of the ocean by 2030.”

Julio Chamorro Solís, president of the Organización Comunitaria Funcional Mar de Juan Fernández, has also celebrated the moment, and has said that by “expanding our marine protections, we ensure that future generations will inherit healthy oceans, thriving fisheries, and the cultural traditions that bind us to our home.”

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