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Nice Ocean Summit Advances High Seas Treaty and Strengthens Marine Protections

Delegates secured new treaty ratifications, rolled out marine protected areas, endorsed tougher fishing limits

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Porthmeor Cove, en Angletter. (Photo d’illustration)
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Overview

  • Around 50 countries have ratified the High Seas Treaty and 15 more have pledged to join, putting it within reach of the 60 ratifications needed for entry into force
  • France pledged to ban bottom trawling in 4% of its metropolitan waters by the end of 2026, a move that NGOs say largely covers zones already off-limits
  • The UK announced plans to prohibit bottom trawling in 41 protected areas, safeguarding some 30,000 km² of its marine ecosystems
  • Samoa created nine new marine parks that together protect 30% of its national waters, covering 36,000 km²
  • UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned against deep-sea mining turning the seabed into a “Far West” while the US absence under President Trump underscored transatlantic rifts over unilateral mining plans