Ocean sanctuaries proposed to protect leatherback turtles

A new report by Greenpeace International, titled ‘Well Connected’, suggests that establishing a network of ocean sanctuaries in the Atlantic high seas could protect leatherback turtles from the dangers of industrial fishing. Leatherback turtles, classified as vulnerable by the IUCN since 2013, face significant mortality risks due to commercial fishing gear in migratory routes that currently lack highly protected areas.

The report indicates that these sanctuaries could shield more than 35 per cent of the danger zones encountered by the species. This comes as the UN biodiversity conference (CBD COP17) begins in Armenia, where officials will assess progress toward the 2022 goal of protecting 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030. Greenpeace has criticized the current pace of ocean protection as a ‘snail’s pace progress’, noting that at current rates, it would take 265 years to reach the 30 per cent target.