The area of the ocean that remains undamaged by humans is tiny, according to the first ever comprehensive analysis of “marine wilderness”.

Global shipping, fishing operations and pollution running into the sea from land have all taken their toll on the world’s seas, including some of the most remote areas.

Areas of true wilderness are vital as they are some of the most diverse parts of the ocean and the last places on Earth still inhabited by sizeable numbers of large predators like sharks.

Even the few fragments that remain are threatened as advanced fishing technologies and melting sea ice expose them to human activity.

Most of the remaining wilderness, which covers no more than 13 per cent of the world’s oceans, can be found in the polar regions and around remote Pacific Island nations.

The scientists behind the study have called for international agreements to recognise the unique value of these zones.

Kendall Jones of the University of Queensland, who led the research, said they were “astonished by just how little marine wilderness remains”.

Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Show all 12 1 /12 Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park “The Stadium,” one of the most impressive geological formations of the Serranía de Chiribiquete. Colombian Amazon Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Forest burns due to the colonisation front near the northern border of Chiribiquete National Park, Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Grandpa Marcelieno and his son, of the indigenous Araracuara people, with sacred plants from the region: mambe and ambil. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Cattle ranching at the agricultural frontier near the northern border of the Chiribiquete National Park Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Oil palm monoculture, Puerto Concordia on the Ariari River, Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Preparation of traditional sugarcane-based beverage by the indigenous Barasano people of Pacoa, on the Apaporis River, near the southeastern border of Chiribiquete National Park Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Tapir in the community of Buenos Aires, Apaporis River. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park (Left) Pictograms over 20.000 years old found on stone in the Chiribiquete National Natural Park FCDS Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park The main “maloca” of the Mutanacua indigenous community of Pacoa, on the Apaporis River, near the southeastern border of Chiribiquete National Park. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park “Vigilant Grandfather,” one of the Chiribiquete National Park’s representative “tepuyes.” Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Aerial view of one of the park's waterfalls FCDS Colombian reserve becomes world’s largest rainforest national park Ajajú River, Chiribiquete National Park. Colombian Amazon Cesar David Martinez

"The ocean is immense, covering over 70 percent of our planet, but we've managed to significantly impact almost all of this vast ecosystem,” he said.

Crucially, less than 5 per cent of the remaining wilderness is officially protected.

"This means the vast majority of marine wilderness could be lost at any time, as improvements in technology allow us to fish deeper and ship farther than ever before," explained Mr Jones.

"Thanks to a warming climate, even some places that were once safe due to year-round ice cover can now be fished."

The research, published in the journal Current Biology, used available data on 19 different human impacts such as fertiliser pollution, as well as fishing activities across the world.

They defined areas as wilderness if they were in the lowest 10 per cent of these impacts.

Wide variation existed in the extent of human impacts, with 16 million square kilometres of wilderness remaining in the warm Indo-Pacific, but less than 2,000 square kilometres in temperate southern Africa.

Efforts are being made to protect some of the remaining wilderness regions, such as the push to create the world’s largest marine sanctuary in Antarctica.