Actress and Oceana ambassador Kate Walsh delivered a call to action at the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, urging world leaders to close the widening gap between ocean conservation commitments and actual progress as the world races toward its 2030 protection targets.

Speaking during a keynote address alongside global leaders, policymakers, scientists, conservationists, and coastal communities, Walsh highlighted just how far the world has fallen behind on its ocean protection goals.

“A few years ago, world leaders came together around an extraordinary commitment to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030. 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,” she said.

The session at OOC11 centred on accelerating progress toward the global 30×30 target, strengthening marine protected areas, and advancing international cooperation to safeguard biodiversity beyond national waters through the High Seas Treaty.

Walsh placed particular emphasis on the role of community-led conservation and inclusive governance in achieving these goals.

On Tuesday, she took part in a special panel discussion titled “Women’s Voices Are Key to the Future of Kenya’s Ocean,” which brought together women leaders from Kenya’s coastal communities to discuss marine conservation, sustainable livelihoods, and locally driven 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.

The conversation was moderated by Dr. Christina Chemtai Hicks, a Professor at Lancaster University, Pew Marine Fellow, and Oceana Board Member.

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.

“We’ve seen time and again that conservation is at its strongest and most successful when local communities help lead. And lasting protections require partnership.Indigenous Peoples, coastal communities, artisanal fishers, and local leaders must have a meaningful seat at the table,” she said.

With momentum building at the conference, Walsh stressed that time is running out to meet the 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.