Last week, 60 countries officially ratified the High Seas Treaty, triggering its entry into force.
Karen Sack, ORRAA Executive Director, shared her thoughts:
“Securing 60 ratifications of the High Seas Treaty so that it can enter into force is a long-awaited relief for those of us who have worked on and supported it since the early 2000s, where threats to marine biodiversity from destructive activities like bottom trawling triggered the international discussions that have led to this landmark moment.
The new High Seas Treaty is truly a game changer for our global ocean, focusing on keeping marine wildlife and biodiversity alive and well rather than extracting or destroying it. Crucially, it means that two-thirds of the Ocean (the areas beyond national jurisdiction) can now benefit from protection under international law, contributing also to the global 30×30 target. Congratulations to the countries, organisations and individuals that have worked for decades to make this possible!”
The High Seas Treaty is an essential building block for us to regenerate ocean health by 2030. Other countries need to ratify it as soon as possible to enable its application to become universal.
