Almost five million square kilometres of ocean across the South Pacific are to be afforded the highest level of protection from destructive and extractive practices, including deep sea mining and bottom trawl fishing, with the establishment of the largest Marine Protected Area in the world. The plan was detailed by the French Polynesian government at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France this week where it is one of a number of Marine Protected Areas to be announced. At more than 1.9 million square miles and with 1.1 million square kilometres designated as a highly or fully protected area where only traditional coastal fishing, ecotourism, and scientific exploration can take place, it is by far the largest plan for marine protection to emerge this week.