Chile Creates Marine Park Bigger Than Texas in Pacific

Just days before leaving office, Chilean President Gabriel Boric signed protections for an ocean area larger than Texas, safeguarding whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and countless other marine species in the Pacific.

The new protections link the Juan Fernández Archipelago with existing Nazca-Desventuradas marine parks, creating a 386,000-square-mile sanctuary. That's roughly the size of Venezuela and covers 50% of Chile's territorial waters, making it the world's third-largest marine protected area.

The protected waters are home to remarkable biodiversity. Humpback whales, Juan Fernández fur seals, spiny lobsters, octopus, and numerous seabirds thrive alongside vast underwater mountain chains that support unique ocean ecosystems.

The expansion didn't happen overnight. Around 180,000 square miles were already protected, but islanders from Juan Fernández joined forces with national and international conservation groups to push for broader safeguards.

"This commitment reflects the heart of our community," said Pablo Manríquez Angulo, mayor of Robinson Crusoe Island in the archipelago. "Expanding marine protections is not only about conserving biodiversity, it's about safeguarding our culture, our traditions, and the future of our children."

The Ripple Effect

Chile's ocean conservation leadership extends beyond this single achievement. The country has consistently championed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a global agreement to protect nature and halt biodiversity loss by 2030.

The timing matters enormously. As nations race to meet the framework's goal of protecting 30% of Earth's oceans by 2030, fully protected areas of this scale become critically important benchmarks for what's possible.

"The community of Juan Fernández, President Gabriel Boric and the Chilean government are to be hugely congratulated," said Dan Crockett, Executive Director of Blue Marine Foundation, which helped advance the protections. The organization emphasized that reserves of this magnitude are essential as the world works toward 2030 conservation targets.

Despite low approval ratings throughout his presidency, Boric leaves office with a powerful environmental legacy that will protect Pacific marine life for generations to come.