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Ocean Rights

We seek to achieve our goal through three key areas of action: Advocacy and Movement Building, Law and Policy Development, and Impact and Enforcement. We provide robust Rights of Nature and Ocean law and policy expertise to governments, NGOs, CSOs, coastal communities, Indigenous Peoples and institutions wanting to advance and recognise the intrinsic value and inherent rights of marine ecosystems species. This includes not only legal drafting, but advocacy and outreach support.​

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We acknowledge that legal pluralism and the coexistence and interaction of multiple legal systems and approaches is vital to achieving a just and inclusive global Ocean governance framework. Recognising this, OVL does not seek to impose a singular legal approach, but rather to support the diverse and context-specific ways in which States, communities and institutions are working to honour the Ocean's intrinsic value and ensure its protection.

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Specifically, Ocean Vision Legal is:​

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  • Leading and organising the Ocean Rights movement. In partnership with Gallifrey Foundation, we published a central hub for resource sharing, advocacy and collaboration and are advancing the emergence of regional Ocean Rights networks. Learn more, sign-on in support of Ocean Rights, and engage, by visiting www.oceanrights.com;

  • Creating the legal clarity around Ocean Rights and disseminating the legal understanding into language all stakeholders can understand;

  • Supporting partner organisations, institutions and governments to draft and advance Ocean Rights law and policy, and its underpinning principles;

  • Advancing Ocean Rights and its underpinning principles within international law and Ocean governance, including through leading the implementation of IUCN resolution 8.055, marine protected areas, the implementation of the BBNJ and strategic DSM discourse;

  • Creating robust governance and regulatory tools that implement Ocean Rights in decision-making processes (such as through Blue Governance models and Environmental Impact Assessments); and

  • Identifying strategic litigation to initiate the global recognition of Ocean Rights and demonstrate its meaning in practice.

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Notable advancements include:

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IUCN Resolution

With the sponsorship of Gallifrey Foundation, OVL drafted and led advocacy for IUCN Resolution 8.055 ‘Advancing an ethical human-Ocean relationship.’ The Resolution was co-sponsored by Panama and Vanuatu and received a 92% approval rating at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress.

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Whale Personhood

We developed a legal assessment to advance legal personhood for Whales in the Pacific and provided input to the He Whakaputanga Moana (Declaration for the Ocean). We also are providing ongoing support to legislation and community awareness for the implementation of whale personhood across the Pacific, including in Aotearoa/ New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga.

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Advocacy & Implementation

OVL published the Ocean Rights Communications & Advocacy Toolkit, raised awareness through a keynote at the pre-UNOC3 OOSC, and supported Rugvin Foundation in their aim to represent Sedna the harbour porpoise on their board.

Join the Ocean Rights Movement

 

In October 2025, Ocean Vision Legal and Gallifrey Foundation launchedthe Ocean Rights Movement website — a central hub for resourcesharing, movement-building and collaboration. You can learn more,sign-on in support of Ocean Rights, and engage, by visiting www.oceanrights.com.

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