The oceans are deteriorating at an accelerating pace, as revealed by the Starfish Barometer, a comprehensive global report on ocean health published for the first time on Sunday.
The barometer, resembling a starfish, is designed for the general public and will also be presented to world leaders at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, southern France.
Overfishing, record temperatures, and threatened marine species are highlighted, painting a “fairly alarming picture of the state of the ocean,” according to French researcher Marina Lévy, who co-led the 2025 edition.
Starfish uses a range of data to assess ocean conditions, human pressures, the costs of ocean changes, conservation efforts, and opportunities for humanity.
Currently, 1,677 marine species face extinction, including one-third of the world’s shark population and more than a quarter of cetaceans. Since 1901, sea levels have risen by 23 centimetres, 37.7% of fish stocks are overfished, and the health costs of plastic exposure through seafood amounted to €219 billion in 2015.
The indicator will be updated annually on 8 June for World Oceans Day.
