As we enter 2026, it’s a moment to reflect on progress made and the path ahead. While the challenges for our oceans remain clear, beginning the year with optimism helps us recognise and celebrate important recent conservation successes.
- The High Seas Treaty, which will provide legal protection to 70% of our Ocean will enter into force on the 17th of January. It took 20 years to negotiate this treaty at the UN, demonstrating that with the right vision and willingness to persevere, we can achieve anything.
- Green sea turtles were removed from the IUCN’s critically endangered list last year and reclassified as a species of least concern. Their populations have increased 28% since the 1970s, thanks to international conservation efforts such as the protection of nesting beaches, bycatch reduction in fisheries and community-based awareness and action.
- Late last year, the CITES listed many Oceanic whitetip sharks, Whale sharks and nine types of Manta and Devil rays on Appendix 1, meaning their international trade is now fully banned and raising hopes that with adequate enforcement, these species can start recovering from decades of overfishing.
At Ocean Eye, we also have reasons to feel optimistic, as we look forward to 2026. What began as an early-stage idea has, over the last year, developed into a real-world leading innovation that connects marine tourism, citizen science, and community-led conservation across Indonesia, our first pilot country. Over the past year, we’ve moved from testing concepts to implementing systems that support real-world monitoring, collaboration, and conservation action.
Through partnerships with 24 dive pioneering operators and liveaboards, collaboration with two local communities working alongside five other organisations and partners, Ocean Eye has seen firsthand the role tourism can play in strengthening local communities and conservation outcomes.
It is humbling and deeply motivating to do this work with talented people and organisations around us. As history shows, we need strong partnerships to deliver on big visions in order to get wins for the Ocean.
As marine conservation challenges grow, so too does the responsibility and opportunity of the tourism industry. Ocean Eye’s role and promise for 2026 are to help turn everyday tourism activity into meaningful contributions to Ocean health, ensuring that those who rely on and benefit from healthy seas are also actively supporting their protection.
As we prepare our to-do lists for the new year ahead, many people will plan visits to the seaside and exciting holidays. What is your promise this year to the Ocean? What role can you play to ensure we have an even longer list of big Ocean wins to report in one year? Write it down, and then make it happen.