First treaty to protect the high seas comes into force
A United Nations agreement to protect the open oceans from unsustainable fishing practices has now taken effect, in a huge win for marine conservation.
A fishing trawler in the Southern Ocean. Photo: Okyela/Shutterstock
NewScientist | January 17, 2026
By Alec LuhnA treaty that will protect areas of the largely lawless high seas from fishing has come into force, marking a “turning point” for ocean conservation.
International waters outside the exclusive economic zones that typically stretch around 370 kilometres from countries’ coasts are sometimes known as a wild west because there are few limits on fishing there. They have also been called the “last wilderness” because their huge depths represent 95 per cent of habitat occupied by life, most of it unexplored.
In September 2025, a United Nations agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in the open oceans, which cover half of Earth’s surface, was ratified by more than 60 countries. That started a 120-day countdown until it took effect.
