Moananui Sanctuary Agreement

Summary

The Moananui Sanctuary Agreement was launched in June 2025 and is an international initiative establishing a strategically identified 12.5 million km² interconnected network of dynamic marine protected areas across the Pacific. This agreement is an outcome of a two-year effort that began with the He Whakaputanga Moana (Declaration for the Ocean), a nonbinding declaration (not a binding treaty) signed by the late Maori King Te Arikinui Tuheitia Paki & Indigenous Pacific leaders in March 2024

The Moananui Sanctuary Agreement, developed for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) and qualifying Pacific Small Island States, proposes a comprehensive framework for a thriving Pacific. This agreement seeks to establish a new model for ocean governance, designed to protect whales, restore ocean health, and strengthen Pacific communities to become effective stewards of their marine environment.

At the center of the Agreement is the codification of Legal Personhood for Whales, the recognition of whales as legal entities with inherent rights and intrinsic value.

Alongside UNOC3 in Nice, Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho from the Kingdom of Tonga announced Tonga’s intent to be the first country to sign onto the Agreement and recognise that whales have inherent rights and personhood.

Involved Organizations