Goal 14 of 17

Life below water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

What this goal is about

Goal 14 is about keeping the ocean healthy enough to keep feeding, employing and protecting people. It covers pollution from land, overfishing and illegal fishing, ocean acidification, protected areas, harmful fishing subsidies and fair access for small-scale fishers.

The ocean does a lot of quiet work. It absorbs about 29% of the CO2 people emit and more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system, according to the UN. Fisheries and aquaculture support around 58.5 million workers. That work comes at a cost: the ocean is becoming more acidic, and in 2021 more than a third of assessed fish stocks were overfished.

Several Goal 14 targets had 2020 or 2025 deadlines that were missed. But 2025 and 2026 brought real movement: the WTO agreement curbing harmful fishing subsidies entered into force in September 2025, and the High Seas Treaty (the BBNJ Agreement) entered into force in January 2026, giving the world a legal route to protect waters beyond national borders.

35.5%of assessed marine fish stocks were overfishedFAO, cited in The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2021

10.01%of the ocean designated as protected or conservedThe Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2026

8.11 to 8.04fall in average surface ocean pH over 40 yearsWMO, cited in The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2026

84%of the world's coral reefs hit by the fourth global bleaching eventNOAA, cited in The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026, 2025

The main targets

14.1

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, especially from land, including litter and nutrient run-off.

14.2

Manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems sustainably, strengthen their resilience and restore them so oceans stay healthy and productive.

14.3

Minimise and tackle ocean acidification, including through better scientific cooperation.

14.4

Regulate harvesting, end overfishing and illegal fishing, and use science-based plans to restore fish stocks.

14.5

Conserve at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, in line with law and the best available science.

14.6

Ban fisheries subsidies that drive overcapacity, overfishing and illegal fishing, with fair treatment for developing countries.

14.7

Increase the economic benefits small island states and least developed countries get from sustainable fishing, aquaculture and tourism.

14.b

Give small-scale artisanal fishers access to marine resources and markets.

Summaries in plain English. The full wording of every target and indicator is on the UN Goal 14 page.

What businesses can do

Cut single-use plastic. Audit packaging, cups, bags and cutlery. India and the UAE already ban many of these items, so switching early avoids disruption.
Source seafood responsibly. Ask suppliers where and how fish were caught or farmed, and prefer stocks with credible, independently checked sustainability evidence.
Control what goes down the drain. Chemicals, nutrients and microplastics from sites and products reach the sea. Treat wastewater and follow local discharge rules closely.
Support coastal ecosystems. Coastal businesses can fund or join mangrove, reef or beach restoration run by credible local groups and report the results honestly.
Mind the whole chain. Shipping, cold storage and packaging all touch the ocean. Ask logistics partners about fuel, spills and waste handling.

What you can do

Use less plastic. Carry a bottle and bag, refuse straws and cutlery you do not need, and bin litter properly even far from the coast.
Ask about seafood. Ask where fish comes from and try species that are less overfished. Eating a little less is also an option.
Join a clean-up. Beach and river clean-ups remove litter and teach you what pollutes your area. Go with a group and an adult if you are young.
Try citizen science. Some ocean projects let volunteers log litter, sightings or water data. Ask a parent or teacher before creating any account.

Where digital tools help

Data has changed how the ocean is watched. Satellite tracking and machine learning now show fishing activity that used to be invisible, robotic floats measure temperature and pH far from any ship, and pooled depth data from many contributors is filling gaps in seafloor maps. These tools help enforcement and science, but they depend on governments acting on what they show, and most of the ocean is still lightly monitored. A traceability app will not fix overfishing without rules and inspections behind it.

Strategy and go-to-market Mobile apps