Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in High Seas

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the High Seas refer to regions of the world’s oceans beyond national jurisdictions that are legally designated for the conservation and sustainable management of marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and resources. The high seas comprise nearly half of the Earth’s surface and two-thirds of the ocean, yet they remain one of the least protected and most vulnerable parts of the planet. Establishing MPAs in these international waters is crucial for maintaining ocean health, supporting biodiversity, and mitigating the impacts of overfishing, climate change, and pollution.

Understanding the High Seas

The term “high seas” refers to ocean areas lying beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of coastal states, typically beyond 200 nautical miles from shore. These regions are not under the sovereignty of any single nation and fall under the framework of international law, primarily governed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The high seas include the water column and deep-sea ecosystems, many of which are characterised by extreme environmental conditions such as high pressure, low temperature, and total darkness. Despite these conditions, they host a wide variety of life, from microscopic plankton to large migratory species such as whales, tuna, and sharks, as well as deep-sea corals and hydrothermal vent communities.

Importance of High Seas MPAs

The establishment of MPAs in the high seas serves multiple ecological, scientific, and socio-economic functions:

• Biodiversity Conservation: Protects vulnerable and endemic species, including migratory fish, marine mammals, and deep-sea organisms.
• Ecosystem Services: Preserves essential processes such as carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and genetic diversity.
• Climate Regulation: Safeguards carbon storage systems, such as seamount and deep-sea sediment ecosystems, that help regulate global climate.
• Sustainable Fisheries: Provides refuge areas where fish populations can recover and replenish surrounding regions.
• Scientific Research: Offers pristine environments for studying natural processes and long-term environmental change.

Given the increasing pressures from human activities, including industrial fishing, shipping, seabed mining, and plastic pollution, protecting high seas ecosystems has become a global priority.

Legal and Institutional Framework

The governance of high seas MPAs relies on international cooperation under various global and regional agreements:

• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): The foundational legal framework for ocean governance, defining rights and responsibilities of nations concerning the use and protection of marine resources.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Encourages nations to protect at least 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 under the “30×30” global biodiversity target.
• Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs): Play a key role in managing fishing activities within designated areas and ensuring sustainable exploitation of fish stocks.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO): Regulates shipping routes, pollution control, and maritime safety, indirectly contributing to MPA objectives.
• High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement): Adopted in 2023, the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) treaty establishes a legal mechanism for creating MPAs in international waters, marking a historic step in global ocean protection.

The BBNJ Treaty, under the auspices of the United Nations, introduces new tools for area-based management, environmental impact assessments, and capacity building for developing nations, making large-scale protection of the high seas more feasible.

Types and Examples of High Seas MPAs

MPAs in the high seas vary in purpose and level of protection, ranging from fully protected reserves where all extractive activities are prohibited to multi-use zones that allow regulated activities. Prominent examples include:

• Ross Sea Region MPA (Antarctica): Established in 2016 under the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), it is the largest MPA in the world, covering about 2.06 million square kilometres. The area protects Antarctic penguins, seals, krill, and unique benthic ecosystems.
• Northeast Atlantic MPAs: Designated under the OSPAR Convention, these areas protect deep-sea coral reefs, seamounts, and hydrothermal vent systems across the North Atlantic.
• Southern Ocean MPAs: Proposed areas around East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea aim to preserve cold-water species and counteract climate-driven changes.
• Sargasso Sea: Recognised for its floating seaweed habitat supporting diverse marine life; managed collaboratively by regional states through non-binding agreements.

These protected zones are managed through international cooperation, scientific monitoring, and compliance measures to ensure the sustainability of marine resources.

Challenges in Implementation

Creating and enforcing MPAs in the high seas presents several challenges:

• Jurisdictional Complexity: No single nation has authority, making consensus and enforcement difficult.
• Monitoring and Surveillance: The vastness of the high seas and limited technological infrastructure hinder effective monitoring of illegal fishing and pollution.
• Conflicting Interests: Balancing conservation with economic activities such as fishing, shipping, and potential seabed mining often leads to political disputes.
• Insufficient Data: Limited scientific understanding of deep-sea ecosystems makes it challenging to identify priority areas for protection.
• Funding and Capacity: Developing countries may lack the technical and financial resources to participate effectively in management and research.

Technological advances, including satellite surveillance, autonomous underwater vehicles, and global data-sharing networks, are increasingly being used to address these issues and enhance compliance.

Role in Climate and Global Sustainability

High seas MPAs contribute directly to global climate goals and sustainable development. By protecting carbon-rich ecosystems, such as seamounts and deep sediments, they prevent the release of stored carbon and promote natural sequestration processes. Moreover, safeguarding migratory routes and spawning grounds strengthens the resilience of marine species to climate-induced stress.
MPAs also support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water), which aims to conserve and sustainably use oceanic resources. Through effective governance and global cooperation, high seas MPAs help mitigate biodiversity loss, promote sustainable fisheries, and maintain ocean productivity essential for human survival.

Future Directions

With the recent adoption of the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ), the global community is entering a transformative era in ocean governance. The treaty facilitates the creation of transboundary MPAs, ensuring that nations collaborate in identifying ecologically important areas, assessing human impacts, and enforcing protective measures.
Key future priorities include:

• Expanding the global network of MPAs to cover at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.
• Strengthening scientific research to identify biodiversity hotspots in the deep ocean.
• Enhancing international cooperation through capacity-building and equitable resource sharing.
• Integrating MPA management with global climate adaptation and marine spatial planning frameworks.

Significance

Marine Protected Areas in the high seas represent humanity’s collective effort to safeguard the planet’s largest shared ecosystem. As pressures on oceanic environments intensify, these sanctuaries serve as living laboratories, biodiversity refuges, and climate stabilisers essential for planetary balance. Their establishment underlines a growing recognition that the health of the high seas is inseparable from the well-being of the entire Earth system.