World Wildlife Fund

Since WWF’s beginning, marine conservation has been part of our mission. In the last 20 years our commitment has gained tremendous momentum as we have responded to growing needs and built exponentially on our successes. Here is a sampling of our accomplishments over the years.

1960s
First global conservation organization to invest in the Galápagos, WWF funded construction of the Charles Darwin Research Station 

Facilitated the longest continuous monitoring and protection program for loggerhead and leatherback turtles

1970s
Analyzed tourism impact and crafted management plan for the Galápagos and funded an education and outreach community center

1980s
Influenced designation of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico and the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize – two of the first marine protected areas in the Mesoamerican Reef 

Negotiated debt-for-nature swap to gain funds for Galápagos National Park

1990s
Founding member of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to promote responsible fishing practices worldwide 

Established the Koryaksky Nature Reserve to protect over 600,000 acres of coastal and wetland habitat on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia 

Achieved designation of the first collectively managed national marine park in Indonesia – Bunaken – as part of that country’s growing system of marine parks 

Instrumental in setting up the first transboundary protected area for sea turtles, spanning a series of islands off Malaysia and the Philippines 

Led efforts to establish and implement marine reserves in Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago and Tanzania’s Mafia Island Reserve 

Assisted in crafting the Tulum Declaration, a joint conservation commitment by the governments of Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala to protect the Mesoamerican Reef 

Delivered a regional plan for reef conservation in the Mesoamerican Reef that strengthened the management of protected areas, fisheries and species conservation 

Helped establish Tanzania’s Mafia Island Marine Park, which prevented destructive fishing practices and preserved livelihoods for 18,000 residents 

Advocated for enactment of the Galápagos Special Law, which created a 40-mile marine sanctuary where commercial fishing is prohibited

2000s
Pushed for ratification and implementation of a United States-Russia treaty for shared conservation of the Alaska- Chukotka polar bear population 

Restored the U.S. Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, which helps cover the costs of preventing and cleaning up oil spills 

Gained commitments from the Philippine and Indonesian governments to establish a “peace park” in their shared waters to protect the migratory corridors and spawning areas for tuna 

Developed the Galápagos Energy Blueprint toward sustainable energy sources 

Established Quirimbas National Park in Mozambique—the largest marine protected area in Africa—through a community-driven process 

Worked for adoption of mandatory use of turtle exclusion devices in fishing nets in Mozambique, saving an average of 5,000 turtles each year 

Assisted Mexican authorities and fishing cooperatives in achieving MSC certification for the spiny lobster fishery on the Baja California Peninsula 

Played a key role in creating a network of 11 marine protected areas in Belize to protect fish spawning sites 

Secured commitments from Chiquita, Dole and other large agricultural producers to reduce pollution runoff and the use of pesticides around the Mesoamerican Reef 

Created the International Smart Gear Competition to foster innovative technology solutions that reduce bycatch 

Helped catalyze an agreement among six countries to share management of their marine resources in the Coral Triangle 

Secured Wal-Mart’s commitment to purchase all its wild-caught seafood sold in the U.S. from MSC-certified sources within 2-4 years 

Cocreated, with the African Union, the World Bank, the United Nations and the Global Environment Facility, the $250 million Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund for sub-Saharan Africa to restore depleted fisheries and reduce poverty