Charting a Course to Protect the High Seas
Delivering the first generation of Marine Protected Areas
The high seas are vast areas beyond national jurisdiction that play an essential role in sustaining life on Earth. They regulate the climate, support marine biodiversity and underpin global food systems and economies. Yet for decades, they have remained among the least protected parts of the ocean.
Today, that is beginning to change. With new global frameworks in place and stronger collaboration across governments and partners, the focus is shifting from ambition to implementation. The next chapter will be defined by whether we can deliver the first generation of high seas marine protected areas and demonstrate what effective protection looks like in practice.
A turning point for high seas protection
The high seas cover more than 60% of the ocean, yet less than 1.5% is currently protected. Progress has historically been limited by fragmented governance and the perception that protection at this scale would be too complex to achieve.
The adoption of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, better known as the High Seas Treaty, marks a turning point. It creates, for the first time, a global mechanism to establish marine protected areas in international waters and provides a pathway to translate global commitments into action.
At the same time, advances in ocean science, monitoring systems and compliance tools are making large-scale protection more feasible. Economic analyses are also strengthening the case for action, showing that well-designed protections can deliver long-term benefits for both ecosystems and economies, including more stable fisheries and reduced illegal activity.
Together, these shifts are changing what is possible. Protecting the high seas is no longer a distant goal. It is an achievable step toward a healthier and more resilient ocean.
Protecting the High Seas
Learn how TNC is working to help establish the first generation of high seas MPAs by 2030.
Learn moreWhy the high seas matter
The high seas are deeply interconnected with the rest of the ocean. They support migratory species, connect ecosystems across regions and influence the productivity of coastal waters that millions of people depend on.
They also play a critical role in climate regulation by absorbing heat and carbon. When these systems are under stress, the impacts extend far beyond international waters.
Pressures are increasing. Climate change is altering ocean conditions and shifting species distributions, while industrial activity is expanding into deeper and more remote areas. These changes can affect fisheries, food security and economic stability.
Protecting the high seas is therefore not only an environmental priority. It is a practical investment in sustaining the ocean systems that support people and economies around the world.
From global agreement to real-world protection
With the global framework in place, attention is turning to implementation.
The first generation of high seas MPAs will play a critical role in shaping what comes next. These early efforts can help establish the standards, partnerships and systems needed to deliver protection at scale.
Putting this into practice will require coordination across governments, regional fisheries management organizations, ocean governance bodies, scientific institutions and civil society, including partners such as the High Seas Alliance. Alignment across these actors will be essential to ensure that new MPAs are effective and work alongside existing governance systems.
At the Our Ocean Conference, The Nature Conservancy has taken a step in this direction through a new commitment to support the development and early implementation of high seas MPAs. Working with governments and partners, TNC will help advance up to five high seas MPA proposals by 2030, providing scientific, technical and policy support to help ensure these areas are designed for long-term effectiveness.
This effort reflects a broader focus on turning the High Seas Treaty into tangible outcomes. It includes strengthening the enabling conditions that make protection durable, such as financing, monitoring, compliance and marine spatial planning.
Where protection can advance now
Several regions are already emerging as opportunities to demonstrate how high seas protection can work in practice.
Across these geographies, a consistent lesson is emerging. Protection is most effective when it is science-based, coordinated across borders and developed in partnership.
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In the waters around Micronesia, high seas areas overlap with the world’s largest tuna fishery. Protecting key migratory corridors and ecological hotspots can help stabilize fish populations as climate change shifts their distribution, supporting long-term fisheries sustainability and economic resilience in partnership with Pacific Island countries and regional fisheries bodies.
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Along the Walvis Ridge in the Southeast Atlantic, a chain of seamounts linked to the Benguela Current supports highly productive ecosystems, including vulnerable deep-sea habitats. These areas face increasing pressure from bottom-contact fishing. Early protection offers an opportunity to safeguard critical ecosystems before irreversible damage occurs, working in partnership with coastal states and regional management organizations.
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In the Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges of the Southeast Pacific, a high seas area of roughly 1.1 million square kilometers represents a major opportunity for large-scale conservation. This region is a global biodiversity hotspot with strong ecological connections to the Humboldt Current. Progress here depends on continued collaboration among countries in the region, supported by scientific expertise and regional policy engagement.
What it will take to move forward
Advancing the first generation of high seas MPAs will require coordinated action at multiple levels.
Countries can continue to accelerate ratification and implementation of the BBNJ Agreement so its provisions can be fully put into practice. Institutions can strengthen alignment between new MPAs and existing management bodies to ensure coherent governance.
In priority regions, countries can work together to advance proposals and build shared approaches to managing ecosystems and fisheries. At the same time, investments in monitoring, enforcement and long-term financing will be essential to ensure that protections are credible and durable.
This is a collective effort that depends on sustained collaboration across governments, international organizations, researchers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and civil society.
A moment to move forward together
The Our Ocean Conference has long focused on turning ambition into action, and this moment is especially important for the high seas.
For decades, meaningful protection of these areas felt out of reach. Today, the tools, partnerships and knowledge needed to act are coming together.
The first generation of high seas MPAs offers an opportunity to put global commitments into practice and show that large-scale ocean protection can work.
What we do next will define the future of the high seas for generations to come.
The ocean’s future is our future.
Dive deeper into The Nature Conservancy’s work to protect the high seas.
