Global Ocean Legacy originated as a continuation of work done by the Pew Environment Group, the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, in 2005 and 2006 to establish a fully protected marine reserve in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. That effort resulted in designation of what was, at the time, the largest, permanent "no-take" marine reserve in the world, an area that encompasses 362,000 square kilometers (140,000 square miles) of largely unspoiled reefs, atolls, shoals and islands.

Inspired by this success, we collaborated with the Oak Foundation, Lyda Hill, the Sandler Foundation, and the Robertson Foundation to create Global Ocean Legacy. Our aim, over a five year period, is to establish three to four large, world-class, no-take marine reserves that will provide ecosystem-scale benefits and help conserve our global marine heritage.