In June 2017 the United Nations hosted its first Ocean Conference in a bid to create a similar international cooperative effort as we have seen to tackle climate change. Just as the United Kingdom has shown global leadership in climate policy so can we, in partnership with our Overseas Territories, lead on ocean conservation. We have made remarkable progress over the past six years, committing nearly four million square kilometres of British waters to a ‘Blue Belt’ of protection by 2020. The UK must now support implementation of these Blue Belt commitments in full and, as we leave the European Union, take the opportunity as Global Britain to lead the world in ocean conservation through the following actions: Support ambitious implementation of the Blue Belt in our UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs), with specific focus on the South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha. The Government has already committed £4.8 million of funding per year from 2016 to 2020 to the Blue Belt. This funding must be maintained and extended up to the end of this parliament in 2022 if Britain is to continue in its position as a global leader in ocean conservation. Blue Belt funding should, where possible, be spent in the Territories rather than within UK Government agencies. Replace the upcoming loss of EU environment funding for the Territories so that the UK can continue to protect the communities and wildlife of these precious places. Extend monitoring and surveillance efforts out to a 100 nautical mile ‘buffer zone’ around each of the existing Blue Belt sites. Lead in the United Nations diplomatic effort to create marine protected areas on the High Seas. Lead in securing more effective conservation performance from Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs).