The High Seas Treaty now in force
Dr Anjani Ganase discusses the latest news in marine science; the High Seas Treaty, the Ocean Census and the impact of large rivers on tropical storms. The High Seas Treaty (known fully as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, BBNJ) has been ratified by 60 countries with Morocco being the 60 th country to ratify on September 19, 2025. The Treaty will officially enter into force within 120 days. The High Seas Treaty will fill the critical gap in regulation of the ocean beyond countries’ national jurisdictions (BBNJ). This area makes up two-thirds of the ocean that must be managed for marine biodiversity and climate regulation. The treaty has four main focus areas. The first is Area-Based Management Tools, including Marine Protected Areas, which provides a mechanism for establishing and managing MPAs on the high seas. (2) Marine Genetic Resources provides a framework for fa...