The Geopolitics of the Ocean

The document frames ocean health as a critical component of U.S. national security and economic strength. It highlights how ocean degradation, illegal fishing, and competition over seafood supply chains drive regional conflict and economic instability. To address these risks, it recommends elevating ocean governance within national security directives, strengthening international partnerships to counter illegal fishing, and incentivizing private sector investment in sustainable ocean management.

• Ocean degradation and the competition for seafood supply chains are linked to food insecurity, economic instability, and regional conflict, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, the Arctic, and Latin America.
• Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing causes global financial losses estimated between $16 billion and $36 billion annually. In the United States, up to one-third of consumed seafood is linked to IUU fishing, which benefits criminal networks and harms domestic markets.
• The blue economy represents $8.4 trillion in revenues and assets that are at risk due to an unhealthy ocean. However, sustainable ocean management offers a high return on investment, with every $1 invested yielding $5 in benefits.
• The document recommends that the U.S. integrate ocean governance into key national security directives, including the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the National Maritime Strategy, and create a Blue Economy National Security Action Plan.

APA

WWF International (2025). The Geopolitics of the Ocean. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1622/The_Geopolitics_of_the_Ocean_Collateral_FINAL.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. The Geopolitics of the Ocean. 2025. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1622/The_Geopolitics_of_the_Ocean_Collateral_FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=The Geopolitics of the Ocean |date=2025 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1622/The_Geopolitics_of_the_Ocean_Collateral_FINAL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2025geopolitics, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{The Geopolitics of the Ocean}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/1622/The_Geopolitics_of_the_Ocean_Collateral_FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }