The Starfish Barometer, a new intelligence tool to protect the Ocean
On 12–13 September 2025, the city of Bizerte hosted a new edition of the Forum Mondial de la Mer, an international gathering addressing the major maritime challenges of the Mediterranean. Established in 2018 under the presidency of Pascal Lamy, the Forum brings together researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, civil society representatives, and young leaders.
The theme of this year’s edition, “From Nice to Bizerte: How is the Mediterranean doing?”, builds on the outcomes of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference held in Nice in June 2025, and will explore how these can be applied in the Mediterranean context.
Pierre Bahurel, Director General of Mercator Ocean International, is taking part in the 2025 Forum Mondial de la Mer in Bizerte, Tunisia. He will co-present the Starfish Barometer alongside Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, Ambassador for the Poles and Maritime Issues, and Marina Levy, Research Director, CNRS/IRD/Sorbonne University, highlighting how this innovative tool can guide collective action for the future of the ocean.
On World Ocean Day 2025, during UNOC3, the research community committed to publishing the Starfish Barometer annually. The 2025 edition is now included in the Ocean State Report, complementing its comprehensive scientific data, and will be part of every future edition, further strengthening the OSR’s role as a trusted reference for ocean science and policy.
About The Starfish Barometer
The Starfish Barometer, the first annual, science-based bulletin on global ocean health, was published on World Ocean Day 2025 in the journal State of The Planet and was officially unveiled at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice.
Developed by a multidisciplinary team of leading experts and overseen by the international scientific committee of the One Ocean Science Congress, the Starfish Barometer provides for the first time a comprehensive, peer-reviewed overview of global ocean health, human pressures, and societal impacts.
At a time when Ocean governance faces mounting uncertainty and scientific evidence is increasingly contested, the Starfish Barometer equips world leaders and policymakers with reliable, up-to-date data to guide urgent action.
The 2025 edition, led by Dr. Marina Lévy (Research Director, CNRS/IRD/Sorbonne University) and Pierre Bahurel (Director General, Mercator Ocean International), was presented to heads of state and government during a dedicated recommendations session at UNOC3.
Aditionnal Resources
Read the Bizerte Declaration 2025