Saving the High Seas

In the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean lies an area known as the Sargasso Sea. Thick clumps of seaweed float on its surface, providing shelter for baby sea turtles. This stretch of water also functions as a breeding ground for endangered eels, a feeding stop for migrating whales, and a home for hundreds of other species—some found nowhere else on the planet. Its ecosystem is so complex that the Sargasso Sea is often called a “floating rainforest.”

The Sargasso Sea is a critical habitat in need of protection. Its marine life is threatened by overfishing and plastic debris. The Sargasso is so far from any country’s shores, however, that no one nation has the legal authority to fully protect the area.  

More than half of the world’s ocean waters are in the same boat: They’re too far from shore to fall under the governance of any one country. Under international law, countries control only the waters within about 230 miles of their shores. The waters beyond that—known collectively as the high seas—belong to everyone. 

The high seas cover about 80 million square miles and contain some of the most important and threatened ecosystems in the world. Only about 1 percent of those waters are protected—and very few rules exist about what can and can’t be done there.

In the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean lies an area known as the Sargasso Sea. Thick clumps of seaweed float on its surface. They provide shelter for baby sea turtles. This stretch of water is also a breeding ground for endangered eels, a feeding stop for migrating whales, and a home for hundreds of other species. Some of those species are found nowhere else on the planet. This ecosystem is so complex that the Sargasso Sea is often called a “floating rainforest.”

The Sargasso Sea is a very important place in need of protection. Its marine life is threatened by overfishing and plastic waste. The Sargasso is so far from any country’s shores, however, that no one nation has the legal authority to fully protect the area.

More than half of the world’s ocean waters are in the same boat. They are too far from shore to be governed by any one country. Under international law, countries control only the waters within about 230 miles of their shores. The waters beyond that are known as the high seas. They belong to everyone.

The high seas cover about 80 million square miles and contain some of the most important and threatened ecosystems in the world. Only about 1 percent of those waters are protected. Very few rules exist about what can and cannot be done there.

However, a new United Nations (U.N.) treaty could change that. Conservationists hope the pact will allow for the creation of new protected areas on the high seas. The treaty could also require those who want to engage in commercial activities on the high seas, such as fishing or drilling, to assess any possible environmental impact. 

Those measures would be a step toward helping the oceans recover from damage that has already been done. Habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, and climate change are “pushing the ocean system to the point of collapse,” according to a 2014 report by the Global Ocean Commission.

“People assume that the ocean is going to go on and on, but it’s really in very desperate shape due to human activities,” says Peggy Kalas of the High Seas Alliance, a partnership of more than 30 environmental groups that advocates for the high seas. “If this treaty goes forward, it will be a game changer for the ocean and the way that it’s regulated down the road.”

But a new United Nations (U.N.) treaty could change that. Conser­va­tionists hope it will let new protected areas be created on the high seas. The treaty could also say that people who want to take part in fishing, drilling, or other commercial activities on the high seas must report how their actions might affect the environment.

Such measures would be a step toward helping the oceans recover from damage that has already been done. Habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, and climate change are “pushing the ocean system to the point of collapse,” says a 2014 report by the Global Ocean Commission.

“People assume that the ocean is going to go on and on, but it’s really in very desperate shape due to human activities,” says Peggy Kalas. She works for the High Seas Alliance, a partnership of more than 30 environmental groups that want to protect the high seas. “If this treaty goes forward, it will be a game changer for the ocean and the way that it’s regulated down the road.”

Humans couldn’t live on Earth without the ocean. It produces much of our food and more than half of the planet’s oxygen. It regulates the climate, both by trapping the sun’s heat and by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide we release into the atmosphere. The ocean gives us energy in the form of wave, wind, and tidal power. It’s also critical to our economy: More than 90 percent of the world’s trade—products ranging from TVs to jeans—travels by sea.

The high seas play an essential role in all of those areas. But one of the most important things the waters offer, scientists say, is their wealth of biodiversity.

Early explorers thought the open ocean was barren, but it’s actually full of life. Sharks, whales, sea turtles, and seabirds are just a few of the animals that reside in these waters. Beneath the waves lie deep-water coral reefs, vast mountain ranges, and creatures that haven’t yet been discovered. With nearly every voyage to the deep sea, scientists find new species. And there’s still plenty left to uncover: As much as 95 percent of the ocean remains unexplored.  

Humans could not live on Earth without the ocean. It produces much of our food and more than half of the planet’s oxygen. It regulates the climate by trapping the sun’s heat and by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide we release into the atmo­sphere. The ocean gives us energy in the form of wave, wind, and tidal power. It is also very important to the global economy. More than 90 percent of the world’s trade, including products from TVs to jeans, travels by sea.

The high seas play an essential role in all of those areas. But one of the most important things ocean waters offer, scientists say, is their wealth of biodiversity.

Early explorers thought the open ocean was lifeless, but it is full of life. Sharks, whales, sea turtles, and seabirds are just a few of the animals that live in these waters. Beneath the waves lie deep-water coral reefs, vast mountain ranges, and creatures that have not yet been discovered. With nearly every voyage to the deep sea, scientists find new species. And there is still plenty left to uncover. As much as 95 percent of the ocean remains unexplored.  

The main international agreement regarding the ocean was negotiated in the 1970s, before much deep-sea exploration had occurred. That treaty set rules for everything from shipping to navigating. Perhaps most important, it established that each country has the sole right to the natural resources within 230 miles of its shores. The treaty didn’t go into details, however, about the natural resources that lie beyond those areas.

So who oversees the high seas? The answer is a host of groups, each of which handles only a very specific issue. The International Maritime Organization, for example, regulates shipping. The International Seabed Authority  is in charge of deep-sea mining. And various regional organizations manage fishing. There’s little coordination between the different agencies, making it difficult to safeguard the high seas. 

Marine scientist Lisa Speer is the director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s International Oceans Program. She likens the open ocean to the Wild West. “There are few rules and no sheriff,” says Speer. “It’s basically a free-for-all.”

One example: Commercial fishermen are taking too many fish from the high seas. As much as 90 percent of some large fish species, such as tuna and swordfish, have now disappeared from the ocean. The heavy nets used to catch the fish scrape the seafloor, destroying ­corals and other delicate marine life. 

The new U.N. treaty could create new rules for industries on the high seas. It may require anyone planning potentially damaging activities there to submit a report about possible consequences. The findings would then be made available to the public. 

The main international agreement related to the ocean was reached in the 1970s. That was before much deep-sea exploration had taken place. The 1970s treaty set rules for everything from shipping to navigating. Perhaps most important, it established that each country has the sole right to the natural resources within 230 miles of its shores. But the treaty did not go into details about the natural resources that lie beyond those areas.

So who oversees the high seas? The answer is a host of groups. Each group handles only a very specific issue. The International Maritime Organization, for example, regulates shipping. The International Seabed Authority is in charge of deep-sea mining. Various regional organizations manage fishing. But there is little coordination between the different agencies. That makes it difficult to protect the high seas.

Marine scientist Lisa Speer is the director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s International Oceans Program. She says that the open ocean is like the Wild West. “There are few rules and no sheriff,” says Speer. “It’s basically a free-for-all.”

One example of this is the activity of commercial fishermen. They take too many fish from the high seas. As much as 90 percent of some large fish species, such as tuna and swordfish, have disappeared from the ocean. The heavy nets used to catch the fish scrape the seafloor, destroying corals and other delicate marine life.

The new U.N. treaty could create new rules for industries on the high seas. It may require anyone planning activities that might cause damage there to submit a report about what could happen. The information would then be made available to the public.

The new treaty could also allow for the creation of more marine protected areas on the high seas. These are areas of water that are safeguarded for conservation purposes. Some allow activities such as swimming or fishing. Others are much more restrictive. The United States has more than 1,200 marine protected areas. 

Establishing similar sanctuaries (safe places) on the high seas is very difficult. But just last month, after years of negotiations, a group of more than 20 nations did just that. They agreed to protect about 600,000 square miles of the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica. That part of the high seas will become one of the world’s largest marine protected areas. Environmentalists hope this leads to more such joint efforts in the future.

Protected areas provide a refuge for marine life and critical habitats. They can also help improve the overall health of the ocean. That’s key, because the ocean is working overtime to absorb extra carbon dioxide as a result of climate change.

Already, the ocean has absorbed about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide humans have generated since the Industrial Revolution and more than 90 percent of the additional heat we’ve generated since the 1950s. These changes are making ocean waters warmer and more acidic, threatening some animal and plant species. 

Creating a network of large, well-managed protected areas in the high seas would give ecosystems a chance to recover from environmental changes, experts say. “I think one of the most important things we ever did was to create a system of national parks, like Yellowstone,” says Kalas of the High Seas Alliance. “It’s something that’s important to do now for the ocean.”

The new treaty could also allow for more marine protected areas to be created. These are areas of water that are protected for conservation purposes. Some of them allow activities such as swimming or fishing. 

Others are much more restrictive. The United States has more than 1,200 marine protected areas.

Establishing similar sanctuaries (safe places) on the high seas is very difficult. But just last month, after years of negotiations, a group of more than 20 nations did just that. They agreed to protect about 600,000 square miles of the Southern Ocean off the coast of Antarctica. That part of the high seas will become one of the world’s largest marine protected areas. Environmentalists hope this will lead to more such joint efforts in the future.

Protected areas provide a safe place for marine life and important habitats. They can also help improve the overall health of the ocean. That is key, because the ocean is working overtime to absorb extra carbon dioxide that is a result of climate change.

Already, the ocean has absorbed about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide that humans have generated since the Industrial Revolution and more than 90 percent of the additional heat we have generated since the 1950s. These changes are making ocean waters warmer and more acidic, which harms some animal and plant species.

Creating a network of large, well-managed protected areas in the high seas would give ecosystems a chance to recover from environmental changes, experts say. “I think one of the most important things we ever did was to create a system of national parks, like Yellowstone,” says Kalas of the High Seas Alliance. “It’s something that’s important to do now for the ocean.”

Getting every country to agree on a new treaty won’t be easy. One of the toughest issues to be resolved concerns what might be found in the ocean. If, for instance, one country uncovers cancer-curing (or even pimple-curing) algae in the high seas, should every country share in the financial rewards? Or is it a case of finders keepers?

It’s a complex issue, not least because some countries lack the technology and funds to comb the ocean floor for the next medical breakthrough.

“There’s only a handful of countries in the world that can actually go to the bottom of the sea and extract things,” explains Jessica F. Green, an environmental studies professor at New York University. “Developing countries are really interested in making sure that if extraction occurs, they benefit from it, even though they’re not capable of actually doing it.” Yet developed countries, such as the U.S. and Japan, may not be so eager to share profits.

Getting every country to agree on a new treaty will not be easy. One of the toughest issues to be settled has to do with what might be found in the ocean. For instance, if one country uncovers cancer-curing (or even pimple-curing) algae in the high seas, should every country share in the financial rewards? Or is it a case of finders keepers?

This is a complex issue, not least because some countries lack the technology and funds to search the ocean floor for the next medical breakthrough.

“There’s only a handful of countries in the world that can actually go to the bottom of the sea and extract things,” explains Jessica F. Green, an environmental studies professor at New York University. “Developing countries are really interested in making sure that if extraction occurs, they benefit from it, even though they’re not capable of actually doing it.” But developed countries, such as the U.S. and Japan, may not be so eager to share profits.

U.N. delegates are now meeting to discuss what might be in the new high seas pact. If all goes smoothly, the agreement could be adopted in the next few years.

So far, the U.S. is supporting the treaty. That could go a long way toward getting other governments on board as well. If the treaty is adopted, nations will then face the challenge of figuring out how to implement it. Enforcement isn’t easy in a space as vast as the high seas.

Still, conservationists say, we have to try. “You need sheriffs, you need rules, you need control over what people do,” says Speer, the marine scientist. “That concept applies to the ocean as well as to land.”

U.N. delegates are now meeting to discuss what might be in the new high seas treaty. If all goes smoothly, the agreement could be adopted in the next few years.

So far, the U.S. is supporting the treaty. That could go a long way toward getting other governments to accept it as well. If the treaty is adopted, nations will then face the challenge of figuring out how to put it into effect. Enforcement is not easy in an area as vast as the high seas.

Still, conservationists say, we have to try. “You need sheriffs, you need rules, you need control over what people do,” says Speer, the marine scientist. “That concept applies to the ocean as well as to land.”