New York (September 19, 2025): The High Seas Treaty was formally ratified today by 60 countries reaching the threshold required for itto enter into force.
The High Seas Treaty, also known as the agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction or 'BBNJ', is necessary to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework, which commits countries to protect and conserve at least 30% of the ocean, and ensure 30% of degraded areas are under restoration, by 2030. The treaty provides for a global legal framework to establish protected areas in the high seas and mandates management plans for these areas.
The treaty, which was almost two decades in the making, was adopted in June 2023 and opened for signature in September 2023. It will become operational 120 days after the 60th ratification, meaning it should enter into force in January 26.
WWF-US SVP of Oceans, Johan Bergenas, issued the following statement in response:
The 60th ratification of the High Seas Treaty starts the countdown to the agreement's entry into force early next year. Now the hard work begins of designating smart marine protected areas, identifying financing and plans to manage critically important marine ecosystems, enforcing the laws, and deterring bad behavior on the world's oceans.
The U.S. is a maritime nation dependent on the wealth of resources the ocean provides, and this treaty is an opportunity for renewed American ocean leadership. The ocean is the world's largest crime scene rife with exploitative practices including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which is a serious threat to America's seafood sector. Countries uniting behind an agenda to tackle this threat and other marine resource challenges aligns with the United States agenda for peace, security, and prosperity.
Nearly 50% of the world's surface is made up by the high seas, and the High Seas Treaty delivers much needed governance and - hopefully - action in recognition of the invaluable role the ocean plays in producing the air we breathe, the food we eat, the economy we depend on, the security we need, and the amazing beauty of a healthy marine environment.
