Located on the southern shore of Turkey, Gokova Bay is home to a wide variety of distinct organisms. However, overfishing within its waters has led to a decline in fishing resources, presenting a serious problem. In response to the bay's marine ecosystem degradation and declining fish diversity and abundance, the Mediterranean Conservation Society has established no-take zones in parts of the coastal waters, beginning a program in which local residents can monitor and report illegal fishing activity, and has also appealed to relevant government ministries and agencies for the creation of a nationally backed marine 'ranger' program.

In June 2015, the United Nations General Assembly decided to develop an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. Preparatory Committee meetings to discuss the instrument were launched in March 2016 and will be held over the course of two years. The contents of the new instrument will not only affect all activities in the high seas and on the deep seabed, but through implementing the general provisions of UNCLOS also determine the future direction of the legal regime of the oceans.

In Niigata Prefecture, there have been efforts to promote the implementation of marine energy as part of the "Niigata Green New Deal Policy." Since the waters offshore of Awashima Island in Niigata Prefecture were designated as a marine renewable energy testing field, the Niigata Prefecture Marine Energy Research Association and Nihon University's College of Science and Technology have been working together on experiments on floating small-scale marine current power devices. As active use of the testing field is also expected to stimulate other activities in the region, we intend to put forth all efforts in future to ensure successful utilization of this testing field.