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