Goal: Catalyze the designation of 687,247 km² of new protected areas surrounding Tristan da Cunha

The Blue Nature Alliance worked with the Tristan da Cunha Island Council, facilitated by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, to support the establishment of the new large-scale marine protected zone.  

Through an international partnership with National Geographic Pristine Seas, Becht Family Charitable Trust, Blue Marine Foundation, Wyss Foundation, Kaltroco, and Don Quixote II Foundation, the Alliance also co-invested in a conservation endowment fund to finance the Tristan community’s ambitious conservation goals.

Tristan da Cunha, the most remote inhabited island on Earth, is a British overseas territory in the South Atlantic with a population of approximately 250 people. Four islands make up the Tristan da Cunha archipelago: Nightingale, Tristan, Inaccessible, and Gough. The latter two are collectively recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   

Life in Tristan da Cunha is based around the sea, with their sustainable nearshore lobster fishery providing ~80% of the country’s total income. To preserve its rich and largely intact marine ecosystem and way of life, the Tristan community has been leading an effort to protect over 90% of its territorial waters. 

For over a decade, Tristanians have played a leading role in developing a science-based approach to conserving their marine environment. In August 2021, the Tristan da Cunha Island Council designated over 90% of the archipelago’s exclusive economic zone as a marine protection zone spanning over 687,000 km² (an area twice the size of California). This designation is the result of local leadership and action by the UK government and support from our partners at the Great British Oceans coalition.

In collaboration with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and other partners, the Blue Nature Alliance is supporting a conservation trust fund and a range of management, science, and community engagement activities. These resources are expected to equip Tristanians with the tools needed for the effective management of their marine protection zone.   

Tristan da Cunha’s ambitious and visionary leadership shows that even one of the world’s smallest and most isolated communities can make a significant global impact and should serve as an inspiration to others to protect our global ocean. 

“Creating our marine protection zone was not about a problem that needed fixing. It was about protecting and preserving our ecosystems for the future. The ocean is our livelihood — we rely on it for our food, our income, and, most importantly, our connection to the outside world.”  

– Janine Lavarello, Marine Protection Zone Officer, Government of Tristan da Cunha