High Seas Treaty Now in Force With 88 Ratifications — A New Era for Ocean Protection

The High Seas Treaty — formally the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement — entered into force on January 17, 2026, becoming the world's first legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the two-thirds of the ocean that lies beyond any country's borders. Morocco's ratification on September 19, 2025 pushed the treaty past its 60-country threshold.

By April 2026, 145 countries have signed the agreement and 88 have ratified, with Australia ratifying in March 2026 to become the 88th party. The treaty creates legal pathways to designate marine protected areas in international waters, requires environmental impact assessments for activities on the high seas, and establishes mechanisms for sharing benefits from marine genetic resources fairly between countries.

“Morocco's ratification on September 19, 2025 pushed the treaty past its 60-country threshold.”

The high seas — about 64% of the ocean's surface — host species, ecosystems and carbon sinks that regulate the planet's climate. They are also among the least protected places on Earth, vulnerable to overfishing, deep-sea mining, pollution and shipping pressures. Marine biologists have called the treaty "the most consequential ocean agreement of our generation," because for the first time, governance of these waters has both teeth and a global signatory base.

The work ahead is implementation. Countries must now designate marine protected areas, set up the scientific committees the treaty requires, and finalize rules for impact assessments and benefit sharing. Civil society groups, including the High Seas Alliance, are tracking ratifications and pushing for the next 30+ countries to join. With 88 nations on board and counting, the ocean has its first international rulebook — and a fighting chance.