![]() Many marine species are used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical products that help with human ailments, like cancer treatments. Gil: There are also biodiversity hotspots in the high seas that can support an incredible diversity of marine life. Even though you may never see or experience the high seas, they're still fundamentally important to humans. We are also reliant on our global oceans for fisheries, and they help mitigate climate effects. They are important for migratory species, such as whales, sea turtles and sharks and they are home to well over 200,000 marine species. Nocito: The high seas make up two-thirds of our global ocean, about half of our planet. And that's why it's fallen to the United Nations to take care of these oceans. ![]() They are also called international waters, or we sometimes say “areas beyond national jurisdiction.” It is not owned by a single country or even a single continent, it is a global common. That first 200 fall under national jurisdiction of whatever country that shoreline belongs to, but once you reach the 200 mark, it is considered the high seas. Nocito: The high seas are essentially any ocean waters 200 nautical miles out from a coastline. Nocito and Gil explain why the high seas matter and why the new treaty will benefit all of us.Įmily Nocito, graduate student in environmental studie, was present at the U.N. Mike Gil, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, is a marine biologist who has studied plastic pollution in the high seas. This treaty would place portions of the world’s oceans, known as the “high seas,” into protected areas and allocate more money for marine conservation.ĭue to highly fragmented governance, until now there has not been a coherent mechanism in place to protect the high seas-yet they harbor incredible marine biodiversity, including deep sea coral reef ecosystems and critically important migratory routes for fish, birds and mammals.Įmily Nocito, a graduate student in environmental studies who studies international environmental governance and marine conservation, was present at the U.N. ![]() After two weeks of negotiations, delegates of the United Nations reached a historic agreement this week to protect marine biodiversity in international waters. ![]()
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