OCEAN VISION
LEGAL
Lawyers for the Ocean
We safeguard the Ocean through law.
Ocean Vision Legal is the first international law firm entirely specialising in Ocean Protection.
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We work collaboratively with NGOs, governments and civil society on public interest cases to protect the Ocean.
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​We are uniquely positioned as a female-led and organised firm.
We envision a future where the Ocean and marine species thrive, protected by strong legal frameworks that inspire humanity to act with respect and care, and that recognise the interconnectedness between a healthy Ocean and the wellbeing of all life on the planet.
THE TEAM
RECENT ACTIONS
Ocean Litigation
Lawsuit against the government of Germany for allowing bottom trawling in European MPAs (representing Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz and Seas at Risk).
Business development
OVL is scaling by an average annual rate of 3.5x, as reflected in the growth of our team, the number of legal actions initiated, and the revenue that enables us to expand our capacity for impact-driven work.
Nomination
OVL’s Ocean Rights work was nominated for The Earthshot Prize 2024.
Ocean Rights and Guardianship
Development of a legal assessment to advance legal personhood for Whales in the Pacific and provided input to the He Whakaputanga Moana (Declaration for the Ocean) and pro bono consultation to develop a comprehensive legal strategy and model legislation for implementing Whale personhood in the Pacific.
Ocean Literacy
Invited to the steering committee of the UNESCO and UNOD Coordinating Office on Connecting People and Ocean; contributed input to the Challenge 10 White paper and the Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy Action, to include Ocean Rights as a tool for transforming the human-Ocean relationship and advancing an Ocean-literate society.
Ocean Literacy
Creation of the Ocean Rights Communication and Advocacy Toolkit, to empower anyone to become an advocate for the movement by providing accessible, uniform messaging and clear guidance for communicating on, and advocating for Ocean Rights.
Ocean Rights and Guardianship
Drafted an IUCN Motion ‘Advancing an ethical human-Ocean relationship,’ co-sponsored by Panama and Vanuatu, and accepted for the 2025 World Conservation Congress.
Ocean Litigation
Communication from the UN Human Rights Council to Japan addressing the release of nuclear wastewater from Fukushima into the Ocean.​​
States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment.
- Art. 192 of the 1982 UN Convention for the Law of the Sea