AUTHOR=Smallhorn-West Patrick , Allison Edward , Gurney Georgina , Karnad Divya , Kretser Heidi , Lobo Aaron Savio , Mangubhai Sangeeta , Newing Helen , Pennell Kamille , Raj Sushil , Tilley Alexander , Williams Haley , Peckham S. Hoyt 

TITLE=Why human rights matter for marine conservation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1089154

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2023.1089154

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=Why are human rights important to marine conservation? Marine conservation is fundamentally about how people interact with the environment, hence social and environmental issues are inextricably linked. While the field of marine conservation is increasingly considering human well-being, it retains a legacy of protectionism, colonialism, and fortress conservation. Here, we i) provide an overview of human rights principles and how they relate to marine conservation, ii) document cases where tensions have occurred between conservation goals and human rights issues, iii) review the legal and ethical obligations, and practical benefits, for marine conservation to support human rights, and iv) provide practical guidance on integrating human rights principles into marine conservation. We argue that adopting a human rights-based approach to marine conservation, that is a reframing of equity from a charitable principle to a right-based condition, will not only help meet obligations to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights, but will also result in greater and more enduring conservation impact.