Overview:
The High Seas Treaty has officially entered into force, marking a historic milestone in global ocean protection. Ocean experts are welcoming the new legal framework for safeguarding international waters, while stressing that nearshore and offshore protections within national jurisdictions must remain a top priority to truly protect marine biodiversity and ocean-dependent economies.
WASHINGTON, 22 JANUARY 2026 (PRISTINE SEAS) — On 17 January, the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement — known as the High Seas Treaty — came into force. The agreement provides a legal framework for nations to create and manage marine protected areas on the high seas, international waters that lie beyond the jurisdiction of any single country.
Kevin Chand, the Senior Director of Pacific Ocean Policy at National Geographic Pristine Seas, said:
“The entry into force of the High Seas Treaty is a historic victory for nearly half of our planet’s surface – the High Seas. For the first time, the global community has a legal mechanism to protect the parts of the ocean that belong to no one state. This is a monumental step forward, and we celebrate the Pacific nations whose bold leadership and relentless efforts during the BBNJ negotiations turned this global vision into a reality for the High Seas and the planet.”
Dr Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Pristine Seas founder, said:
“The high seas encompass two-thirds of the ocean. But as the High Seas Treaty comes into force, we can’t overlook the value of protecting ocean areas that belong to national governments, where most fishing and other damaging human activities take place. National waters encompass the majority of the ocean’s biodiversity, so their protection cannot be put on the backburner.
“New marine protected areas — whether they are established in the high seas or nearshore — will only be effective if they are strictly protected and fully monitored for illegal activity. This is the only way we can ensure that marine reserves deliver benefits to climate, biodiversity and economies.”…. PACNEWS