Ocean Rights
We aim to embed an ethical relationship between humanity and the Ocean in global governance. We envision a relationship where human activities respect the Ocean’s ecological capacities; economic models prioritise long-term health over short-term gains; Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge drive policy and action; and humanity embraces a collective shift in behavior, honoring our responsibilities as caretakers of the Ocean.
Our ultimate goal:
International law recognises and respects the inherent rights
and intrinsic value of the Ocean.
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 partner with organisations, institutions and government to draft and advance new law that incorporates Ocean Rights and/or its underpinning principles (such as ecological sustainable use); create robust regulatory tools that implement Ocean Rights in decision-making processes (such as through Blue Governance models and Environmental Impact Assessments); and identify strategic litigation to initiate the global recognition of Ocean Rights and demonstrate its meaning in practice.
IUCN motion
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.
Whale Personhood
In 2024, 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), and co-drafted model legislation for the implementation of whale personhood ‘Te Mana o te Tohorā (Authority of the Whale)‘ at the national level, and the Moananui Sanctuary Agreement, which aims to establish a collaborative network of marine protected areas across the Pacific and support harmonised whale protection and legal personhood approaches among participating States and Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLC).
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.