Options for Action

We are using iconic seahorses to convince countries to establish and strengthen new MPAs that will be broadly beneficial. With more resources, we can support countries in establishing MPAs that exclude trawling from large areas and help meet their obligations to CITES.

• Deploying national leaders to conserve seahorses and other marine life
• Ending annihilation trawling

Nations are steadily committing to safeguarding 30% of the ocean by 2030, which is a matter of IUCN policy. Such protected areas must be justly implemented, provide good ecological coverage and exclude damaging practices, particularly bottom trawling.

It seems self-evident that, if laws and regulations are decided, they must also be respected. Failure to implement makes a mockery of the legislation or restriction, and undermines the agency that created it. Ideally people comply with laws but enforcement is usually also necessary.

Agreements among nations offer vital opportunities to advance conservation for our global ocean. We urge action on national commitments including on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, environmental Conventions (e.g. CITES, Convention on Biological Diversity) and regional fisheries accords. IUCN Resolutions and Recommendations are often pioneering and need full engagement from all 1450 member organizations.

Ask all elected officials and all candidates for office (coastal and inland) about their ocean platform and policy. If they don’t have one, then asking will provoke them to think about it. If they do have one, consider voting for them!

Communicate with elected officials on issues that matter to you.  Contact government agencies and resource management bodies about issues that concern you. Request action, monitor their responses and hold them accountable.  Praise and publicise effective engagement.

Build an army of ocean warriors by exciting and engaging people with the marvels of marine life and the magic of marine communities. Learn and share in as many ways as possible.

As journalists, influencers, journal editors, teachers… ask yourself if you are treating marine conservation fairly. Remember that the ocean provides 99% of the living space on Earth.
How much time are you allocating to marine news and issues?

Follow Project Seahorse and our team members on social media and help expand the number of people we reach with our work and our ideas. You can find us on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, and X.