An international panel of former heads of state, government ministers, and prominent business leaders is calling for world leaders to protect the ocean by adopting a sweeping "five-year rescue package."

The report released Tuesday by the Global Ocean Commission recommends that the United Nations and national governments restrict fishing in international waters, eliminate fishing subsidies, step up the fight against illegal fishing, reduce pollution, and establish greater international cooperation on marine issues.

Nations must "intervene to reduce degradation of the ocean, and it must be forceful," commission co-chair Trevor Manuel tells National Geographic.

The independent, 17-member commission—launched in February 2013 by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the University of Oxford, Adessium Foundation, and Oceans 5—spent 18 months researching and drafting the report.

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