MOMBASA, Kenya — Kate Walsh, actress and Oceana ambassador, has called for urgent global action to protect marine ecosystems, strengthen coastal livelihoods, and accelerate progress toward protecting at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
Walsh made the call during a keynote address at the 11th Our Ocean Conference (OOC11) in Mombasa, Kenya, where she joined global leaders, policymakers, scientists, conservationists and coastal communities to discuss the future of the world’s oceans.
“A few years ago, world leaders came together around an extraordinary commitment to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030,” Walsh said. “But the deadline nears and we have fallen behind. Today, just 10% of the ocean is protected, and only about 3% is strongly protected. The gap between ambition and action remains significant.”
The session focused on accelerating progress toward the global 30×30 target, strengthening marine protected areas (MPAs), and advancing international cooperation to safeguard biodiversity beyond national waters through the High Seas Treaty.
In her remarks, Walsh emphasised the importance of community-led conservation and inclusive ocean governance. “We’ve seen time and again that conservation is at its strongest and most successful when local communities help lead,” she said. “And lasting protections require partnership. Indigenous Peoples, coastal communities, artisanal fishers, and local leaders must have a meaningful seat at the table.”
On Tuesday, she participated in a special panel discussion titled “Women’s Voices Are Key to the Future of Kenya’s Ocean,” where women leaders from Kenya’s coastal communities gathered to discuss marine conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and locally led solutions. The panel featured Amina Komora, a fisher from the Sanye Community in Lamu County; Zulfa Haasan, popularly known as “Mama Mikoko,” a pioneering mangrove conservation leader from Pate Island; and Raabia Hawa, founder and director of the Ulinzi Africa Foundation.
Ahead of her keynote, Walsh also visited the Jomvu Kuu Beach Management Unit and Jomvu Kuu Women in Fisheries alongside representatives from the Government of Kenya, experiences she said directly shaped her message on the mainstage.
Walsh, widely known for her roles in Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Emily in Paris, has been a long-term partner of Oceana, the largest international organisation focused solely on ocean conservation. She has advocated for marine protection for years, including campaigning against offshore drilling and plastic pollution.
African coastlines face serious challenges, including pollution, climate change, and overfishing by industrial vessels, which threaten the food security and livelihoods of local fishing communities. Oceana has urged governments to prioritise small-scale fishers, create stricter rules against illegal fishing, and make fishing data transparent.
With momentum building at OOC11, Walsh stressed that time is running out to meet global targets. “The ocean has always been there for us. It has fed us, protected us, connected us, and inspired us. Now it is our turn to be there for the ocean,” she said as she closed her address with a heartfelt appeal.
