High Seas Treaty ratifications reached 100 countries this week, after Canada, Germany, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe and Brunei Darussalam all ratified during the UN General Assembly in New York. Two thirds of the ocean sits outside any country's jurisdiction, and until this treaty, no binding global framework protected the biodiversity in it. In this Ocean Decoded Live clip, marine biologist Andrew Lewin explains what Canada's ratification means, what Prime Minister Mark Carney announced alongside it, and why this milestone matters to anyone who cares about the open ocean.
You'll get a plain-language walk through the treaty's official name, the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), and its four pillars. Those pillars are fair sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, high seas marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments before activities like deep-sea mining, and capacity building so developing nations can take part as equals. Andrew connects each pillar to real situations, including overfishing of northern cod just outside Canada's 200-nautical-mile zone, and distant-water squid fleets waiting at the edge of Argentina's exclusive economic zone.
Then comes the question many Canadians have been asking. Canada signed in 2024, so why did ratification take until September 2026? Andrew walks through the domestic process, the April 2026 Force of Nature strategy that finally put $24.4 million behind ratification, and what comes next: the treaty's first Conference of the Parties, expected in January 2027, and the 12th Our Ocean Conference in Halifax in spring 2027. With the world's longest coastline, Canada now has a real chance to help lead the first generation of high seas protected areas. Watch, then tell us in the comments whether you think Canada will step up.
Chapters:
00:00 - Six countries ratify the High Seas Treaty
06:11 - Carney's UN announcement and OceanEye
11:33 - Environmental impact assessments and deep-sea mining
17:45 - What's next: Our Ocean Conference in Halifax
Takeaways
The High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) reached 100 ratifications during the week of September 22, 2026.
Canada formally ratified on September 23, 2026 at the UN General Assembly and pledged $82 million over five years to the OceanEye International Alliance, co-hosted with the European Union.
The treaty covers the roughly two thirds of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction and rests on four pillars: marine genetic resources, area-based management tools such as MPAs, environmental impact assessments, and capacity building with technology transfer.
The treaty entered into force on January 17, 2026, after passing 60 ratifications in September 2025.
Canada signed in 2024. Ratification required tabling in Parliament, domestic legal changes, and dedicated funding from the April 2026 Force of Nature strategy.
The United States has signed but not ratified.
Next milestones are COP1 (expected January 2027) and the 12th Our Ocean Conference in Halifax (spring 2027).
#OceanConservation #MarineBiology #SaveOurOceans #ProtectTheOcean #OceanAwareness #BluePlanet #ConservationMatters #ScienceForChange #SustainableOceans
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