On Oceans, Investments, and Sustainability

Finance Holds the Net: Why Ocean Protection Needs the Financial Sector 

The oceans are under siege.

Over 34% of global fish stocks are being exploited at biologically unsustainable levels (FAO, 2022). Destructive industrial fishing practices, often subsidized and poorly regulated, are rapidly depleting marine biodiversity, destroying ecosystems, and endangering food security for millions.

But here’s the opportunity: Finance can be the tide that turns.

Banks, investors, and insurers hold critical leverage in shaping what practices are funded, and what aren’t.

By integrating marine ecosystem protection into investment criteria, due diligence, and insurance policies, the financial sector can:

 Divest from companies engaged in IUU (illegal, unreported, and unregulated) fishing

Redirect capital toward sustainable aquaculture and community-based fisheries

Promote traceability and certification across seafood supply chains

Incentivize companies to meet ocean-positive ESG performance standards

Initiatives like the UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, supported by UNEP FI, offer a framework for aligning financial decision-making with ocean health.

This is more than a sustainability issue. It's about long-term risk management, social equity, and the future of entire coastal economies.

Finance has the power to drive a sea change. Let’s wield that power wisely.