CCAMLR has been working towards creating a representative network of MPAs across the Southern Ocean since 2002

Sustainable Markets Initiative launches Ocean Stewardship Initiative to turn global commitments into action

UNITED KINGDOM
Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

New private-sector platform aims to help establish one of the world’s largest Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica as the High Seas Ocean Treaty enters into force

As the new global Ocean Treaty for the High Seas enters into force, the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI)—founded by His Majesty King Charles III when he was The Prince of Wales—has launched a major new effort to accelerate real-world delivery on ocean protection commitments. Announced today, the Ocean Stewardship Initiative seeks to mobilise the private sector to support effective ocean governance, beginning with the establishment of one of the world’s largest Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Antarctica.

The initiative creates a structured platform for constructive engagement between businesses, governments and civil society, with the aim of translating global ocean pledges into practical, scalable action. Central to its approach is balancing marine conservation with the sustainable use of ocean resources, underpinned by science-based decision-making.

Supporting a landmark Antarctic Marine Protected Area

The first delivery track of the Ocean Stewardship Initiative builds on long-standing international negotiations under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). It supports the proposed creation of a large-scale MPA covering around seventy per cent of the Antarctic Peninsula.

At the heart of this year’s CCAMLR meeting were two intertwined issues: a proposal to establish a marine protected area (MPA) for the Antarctic Peninsula and the management of the krill fishery that overlaps much of the same area. Click on the map to enlarge it

Alongside the protected area, the proposal includes a modern, science-based krill fishery management framework. This framework would enhance ecosystem monitoring and ensure fishing activity is spread out and carefully regulated in areas that remain open, reducing pressure on sensitive ecosystems.

Developed in partnership with Aker BioMarine and Aker QRILL Company, and with advice from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the initiative aims to demonstrate how industry can play a constructive role in advancing marine protection. If approved by CCAMLR, the MPA—proposed by Argentina and Chile—would become one of the largest no-take zones in the world, protecting Antarctic marine mammals and covering nearly half a million square kilometres of the Southern Ocean.

The proposal would increase the total area of the Antarctic Ocean under protection by up to fifteen per cent, representing a significant contribution toward the global goal of protecting thirty per cent of the Ocean by 2030.

Delivering results through industry engagement

By demonstrating success through industry leadership in Antarctica, the Ocean Stewardship Initiative aims to create a global playbook for accelerating improvements in fisheries management and the implementation of MPAs worldwide. The platform enables companies to work directly with governments, scientists and non-governmental organisations to identify solutions and deliver measurable outcomes.

The initiative builds on years of collaboration among governments, researchers, NGOs and fishing companies, recognising that greater coordination and alignment across sectors is essential to deliver change at scale—particularly in a period of growing geopolitical uncertainty.

“The private sector has a decisive role in shaping the Ocean economy,” said Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, CEO of the Sustainable Markets Initiative. “Governments set the rules, but delivery depends on capital, companies and supply chains moving in the same direction with a default sustainable mindset. This initiative is about private-sector leadership aligning ocean-based value creation with conservation, sustainable fisheries management, and meeting the world’s 30 x 30 target. We hope that private-sector support for the CCAMLR MPA and krill fisheries management framework can serve as a model for similar efforts around the world.”

Industry sees engagement as inevitable

For companies operating in the Southern Ocean, engagement is no longer optional, according to industry leaders.

“For fishing companies, this is no longer a question of whether Marine Protected Areas will happen,” said Matts Johansen, CEO of Aker BioMarine and Chair of Aker QRILL Company. “The real question is whether industry chooses to engage constructively and be part of the solution, or remain on the sidelines while the rules are shaped without its involvement.”

Stewardship as the foundation for ocean action

The Marine Stewardship Council, which was founded to recognise and incentivise sustainable fishing practices, views the initiative as a critical step toward more integrated ocean management.

“Effective ocean management requires stewardship of the entirety of our Ocean, built on science, transparency and accountability,” said Rupert Howes, CEO of the Marine Stewardship Council. “Strong protection measures and well-managed fisheries go hand in hand, and both are essential to the future of the Ocean. Given the unique ecological importance of the Southern Ocean, there is a compelling case for this government-proposed MPA, supported by a broad coalition of industry and NGOs.”

With the launch of the Ocean Stewardship Initiative, the Sustainable Markets Initiative is positioning the private sector as a key driver in turning ambitious ocean commitments into tangible outcomes—starting in one of the most ecologically significant regions on the planet.

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