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Melanesian Countries Expand Marine Protection Network: MOCOR Could Exceed 6 Million Square Kilometers
Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu have agreed to expand and connect their marine protected areas. The network, called MOCOR, is expected to cover at least 6 million square kilometers, becoming the world's largest transboundary marine protected area.
Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu have reached an agreement to expand and connect their marine protected areas. The three countries announced their goal to establish a joint conservation network prioritizing ocean health and the environment.
The plan was unveiled at the first Melanesia Ocean Summit held in May 2026 in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. Melanesia is known as a subregion of the Pacific Ocean.
What does the network called MOCOR cover?
The new conservation network is named the Melanesia Ocean Corridor, or MOCOR. The three Pacific nations designed this initiative to create a unified Melanesian corridor aimed at fully protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems and strengthening the cultural and economic livelihoods of coastal communities.
The project stands out as a regional response to the pressures climate change has imposed on the Pacific. Although the region has historically low carbon emissions, island communities face severe impacts such as rising sea levels and coral reef degradation.
The connected marine reserves are expected to cover an area of at least 6 million square kilometers. Therefore, MOCOR is projected to become the world's largest transboundary marine protected area.
Commitments of the countries
Papua New Guinea will allocate more than 214,000 square kilometers in the Bismarck Sea under the Western Manus Marine Protected Area. The government describes this area as roughly the size of the United Kingdom, accounting for about 9% of the country's exclusive economic zone.
Vanuatu announced it will designate 70,000 square kilometers within the Torba National Marine Protected Area for MOCOR. This area represents approximately 10% of the country's exclusive economic zone.
Fiji has committed to including 15% of its waters in MOCOR this year and plans to expand the network over the next five years.
Protection messages from Pacific leaders
Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat emphasized the value of protecting the ocean. He stated that protecting the seas is not a sacrifice but a choice over exploitation.
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka highlighted that the responsibility to care for the seas cannot be confined by borders. Rabuka reminded that oceans do not end at national boundaries and that the duty of protection must extend beyond these borders.
The new network was presented not only as an environmental step but also as a foundation for stronger regional unity among Melanesian countries. The initiative made visible the region's desire to act collectively over their shared marine space.
National geographer and National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala praised the announcement of MOCOR. Sala noted that Melanesian leaders pledged to protect 30% of one of the world's most biodiverse and critical marine environments.
A new focus in regional discussion
The Pacific Islands Global Network welcomed the initiative. However, it called for regional commitments to be translated into binding national laws and drew attention to the controversy within the region over some governments' willingness to allow deep-sea mining exploration and extraction.
One of the summit's highlights was the symbolic release of a message in a bottle carrying the commitment of Pacific peoples. The message stressed that the future of younger generations should not be sacrificed for short-term profits.
The text emphasized that peoples stand not only as nations but as guardians of a shared ocean. The message that the ocean does not belong to humans, but humans belong to the ocean, was central to this call.
Melanesian countries decided to reconvene in two years to review and expand their commitments to ocean protection.
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