The High Seas Treaty Explained: Why It Matters for Our Ocean & Beyond

Nearly half of Earth’s surface lies beyond the jurisdiction of any single country—and until now, those waters have been largely unregulated. In this episode of Nature Breaking, WWF’s Johan Bergenas joins host Seth Larson to unpack the newly ratified High Seas Treaty and what it means for the future of our ocean.

From illegal fishing and environmental degradation to human trafficking and unregulated resource extraction, the high seas have long been a lawless frontier. But with this treaty now in force, countries have a framework to establish marine protected areas, conduct environmental impact assessments, and collaborate on enforcement and conservation. Johan explains how the treaty came together, what it aims to achieve, and why it’s a critical step toward meeting global biodiversity goals—like protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.

Tune in to learn how this landmark agreement could reshape ocean governance and help safeguard the planet’s largest ecosystem.

Links for More Info:
Johan Bergenas bio: https://www.worldwildlife.org/about/p...
WWF Oceans webpage: https://www.worldwildlife.org/our-wor...
WWF Statement on High Seas Treaty: https://www.worldwildlife.org/news/pr...

Chapters:
0:00 Preview
0:29 Wild Guess trivia question
1:06 Intro
2:27 Defining “the high seas”
3:50 Crime on the high seas
5:42 Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing
10:27 The High Seas Treaty
12:45 Marine Protected Areas
16:29 Next steps for the treaty
17:53 Hurdles to implementation
20:58 Why did it take this long to get a treaty?
22:32 Outro

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