Minderoo pledges record support to kickstart high seas marine parks across Australia–Pacific Region

09 Jun 2025 – Minderoo Foundation has pledged AUD$10 million to accelerate the development of high-quality marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas.

The new funding – one of the largest high seas commitments to date from an individual philanthropy – will contribute to a scientific analysis and consultation process that could eventually see the establishment of a MPA at the Lord Howe Rise–South Tasman Sea region, between Australia and New Zealand.

This area, often referred to as a “volcanic lost world,” is rich in biodiversity, including ancient coral gardens, deep-sea seamounts, and migratory routes for species such as humpback whales and Galapagos sharks.

Dr Andrew Forrest AO said: “These ecosystems are under immediate threat from industrial activities like deep-sea bottom trawling – the devastating impact of which was shown in graphic detail in Ocean with David Attenborough – making rapid intervention critical.”

Agreed to in June 2023 but yet to reach the required number of ratifications, the High Seas Treaty is designed to fill a key gap in international governance by establishing a mechanism for governments to establish MPAs in the high seas. The rapid creation of high seas MPAs is critical to reaching the 30x30 goal in the ocean.

“Minderoo Foundation’s pledge sends a clear signal that action to develop proposals to establish and implement high-quality protected areas in the high seas, the two-thirds of the world’s ocean found outside of nation’s waters, needs to start immediately if we are to make meaningful progress towards the global goal of protecting 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030,” Dr Forrest said.

“Philanthropies are doing our part for the high seas. Now we need more nations, including Australia, to prioritise ratifying the High Seas Treaty.

“We simply can’t sit back and watch as our ocean is plundered irreparably. We must act now.”

The high seas comprise nearly two-thirds of the ocean’s area and represent 95 per cent of the habitable space, by volume, on our planet. Alongside playing a key role for many important species of sharks, tuna, and whales, it helps regulate the global climate and supports billions of people around the world who depend on a healthy ocean.

Minderoo Foundation Head of Biodiversity and Habitats, Dr Rebecca Wellard, said: “It was encouraging to see the Australian government’s announcement at the Global Nature Positive Summit last year, committing $100,000 to a research symposium on the South Tasman Sea and Lord Howe Rise – an important step in preparing Australia for the ratification of the UN High Seas Treaty.”

In addition to supporting the establishment of high seas MPAs in this region, Minderoo’s contributions will fund science-based implementation and advocacy across Australia-Pacific partners, and advance a new gender engagement framework to promote inclusive, human rights-based governance of high seas protection.

“Minderoo Foundation is collaborating with a consortium of partners to integrate gender equity and considerations into the implementation of the High Seas Treaty – across the spectrum of high seas governance and marine protected area development,” Wellard said.

“Designed to be scalable and adaptable, the program is intended to support application across multiple high seas MPA sites, countries, and organisations.

“Through these collaborations, Minderoo aims to work with partner coalitions and governments to drive inclusive decision-making, equitable benefit-sharing, and stronger accountability in the emerging governance landscape of the high seas.”

Today’s announcement builds on the $51.7 million pledge to accelerate the development of high-quality Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the high seas by Arcadia, Becht Foundation, Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Blue Action Fund, Blue Nature Alliance, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Oceans 5, Paul M Angell Family Foundation, Schmidt Ocean Institute, and Vere Initiatives announced in October 2024 at the COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference in Colombia. Now including 12 philanthropic partners and totalling nearly $60 million, this collective philanthropic pledge is the largest ever funding commitment for the high seas.

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