[By Felipe Paredes]

Hidden beneath the vast expanse of the Southeast Pacific Ocean are underwater mountain chains that are among the most ecologically rich places on Earth.

Stretching almost 3,000km from Rapa Nui in the South Pacific towards the coasts of northern Chile and southern Peru, the seamounts of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges support over 90 species that are considered endangered, near threatened or vulnerable to extinction, including sharks, seabirds, whales, turtles and corals.

These peaks boast the highest ever recorded levels of marine endemism – meaning species found there and nowhere else. They are vital breeding and nursery grounds for marine life, including commercially important jack mackerel and Humboldt giant flying squid, and hold deep cultural significance for island communities in the Pacific.

A rare species nicknamed the Caspar octopus but not yet scientifically described, seen on the Nazca Ridge. The area boasts exceedingly high marine endemism, meaning species found only there (Image: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute, CC BY NC SA)

Despite their remoteness, these ecosystems are under siege. Industrial fishing, including bottom trawling, threatens to strip these biodiverse waters of life before they can be fully studied or protected. Politicians and campaigners have made strides toward moving the conservation of these underwater sanctuaries higher up the agenda. But without urgent action, they could be lost forever.

A turning point in ocean protection

At a recent meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) in Santiago, governments took a step forward by agreeing a plan to secure protection for this biodiversity hotspot. But the process remains slow.

The SPRFMO is an intergovernmental body established in 2012 to ensure the sustainability of fish stocks and the responsible use of marine resources. It sets catch limits, monitors fishing, and conducts scientific research.

(Map: Dialogue Earth)

The Chilean government has already pledged to protect the ridges that lie within its national waters, designating large-scale marine protected areas (MPAs) that cover the most critical areas. Now, it is advocating to conserve the majority of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges. These ridges lie within the shared high seas, beyond any nation’s jurisdiction, and are overseen by the SPRFMO.

This effort, backed by the Coral Reefs of the High Seas Coalition, whose members include Oceana (where I work), Conservation International, the Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands and other NGOs, sets a precedent for broader high seas protection efforts. The first critical step would be a fisheries closure, which will pave the way for these ridges to become a high seas MPA in the coming years.

A path to protection in the South Pacific

The Chilean government called for the protection of the ridges in 2021. By 2022, it formally proposed a permanent fishing ban at SPRFMO covering both jack mackerel and Humboldt flying squid. The proposal was analysed during a 2024 SPRFMO meeting in Ecuador and, in a significant step forward, a mandate was agreed for the group’s scientific committee to “compile and review all relevant scientific information and data about the area and recommend possible measures”.

A task team is now working to assemble this information, with the support of the Coral Reefs of the High Seas Coalition. Based on the task team’s analysis, the scientific committee will recommend options for conservation measures, including a fisheries closure. The SPRFMO commission itself will need to decide and approve one of the options.

At the 2025 SPRFMO meeting in Santiago, the commission agreed to make a decision by 2026 on the management of the region, including the fisheries closure originally submitted by the government of Chile.

But we need rapid action to safeguard this special environment beneath the ocean’s surface. With each expedition to the region, new species are discovered and we learn more about how critical the ecosystem is to planetary health. It is our mission to ensure that the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges, despite being out of sight, are not forgotten in talks that determine their future.

We are pouring our efforts into helping the work of the task team, with support from our regional research partners, so the scientific committee understands the urgent need for protection.

The 2026 deadline for a management decision cannot be missed, and governments must involve their best scientists in the process.

Bridging policy, conservation and industry

The ocean is so vast, productive and biodiverse that we have enough space to have both healthy fisheries and an important portion designated as MPAs, which, in turn, help fisheries. The safeguarding of ecosystems supports nature, climate regulation, coastal communities and livelihoods.

The SPRFMO is more than just a policy forum. It’s a space to show that conservation and sustainable fishing can go hand in hand on the high seas. These efforts must not be seen as opposing forces.

The High Seas Treaty, agreed in 2023, is a historic milestone that will enable us to designate MPAs in all of the oceans worldwide beyond national jurisdiction. For it to enter into force and become international law, the treaty must be ratified by 60 countries. Currently, 21 nations have done so. A growing and united community of NGOs have joined forces in a campaign, Together for the Ocean, that calls for governments to commit to ratify it by June, coinciding with the landmark UN Ocean Conference in France.

The high seas cover 43% of our planet and their protection, as MPAs or other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), is essential in achieving the globally agreed goal of protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 (also known as 30×30). We’ve witnessed a surge in commitments, yet only 8.3% of the world’s ocean is currently designated as protected.