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2h ago

UN High Seas Treaty Takes Effect, Launching First Global Rules for Biodiversity Beyond Borders

More than 80 ratifications now bind parties under the pact.

FILE - Coral is visible in the protected area of France's Porquerolles National Park ahead of the U.N. Ocean Conference on June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag, File)
A diver swims through a coral reef near the Island of Cozumel, Mexico, June 27, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
This is the first time this rare octopus species —informally named the Casper octopus — has been seen in the Southern Pacific. Discovered in 2016 and nicknamed Casper, the species has not been scientifically described or formally named, as no one has collected a specimen yet. While little is known about this species, scientists do know that it is one of two octopuses found in the Ocean’s abyssal zone. The observation in this clip took place at 4,443 meters depth, almost three miles below the Ocean’s surface. From Dive 690, a full-depth test dive of ROV SuBastian. For this test dive, the team visited a seamount outside Peru's Exclusive Economic Zone, or EEZ. The seafloor feature had a distinctive disc shape and a summit close to ROV SuBastian's max depth of 4500m. Credit: ROV SuBastian / Schmidt Ocean Institute Due to our legal status as a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation, no media produced by Schmidt Ocean Institute may be used in attempting to influence legislation or lobbying. Additionally, all visual assets (Images, videos, etc) can only be used as stated by creative commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes. ShareAlike — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
FILE - Corals grow off Efate Island, Vanuatu, Saturday, July 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag, File)

Overview

  • Entering into force on Jan. 17, the BBNJ agreement enables creation of marine protected areas across vast international waters that cover roughly two-thirds of the ocean.
  • The treaty requires environmental impact assessments for activities affecting high-seas ecosystems and establishes benefit-sharing for marine genetic resources alongside capacity-building for developing states.
  • Ratifications have surpassed 80 and signatures are around 145, with China and Japan among recent ratifiers, while the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have signed but not yet ratified.
  • Parties now move to operational details through preparatory work and an inaugural Conference of the Parties expected later this year or in 2027, including setting up a scientific and technical body and funding mechanisms.
  • Enforcement and coordination with existing bodies remain central challenges, as the pact does not govern seabed mining under the International Seabed Authority, and governments race to contribute to the 30% ocean protection goal by 2030.