The high seas occupy approximately half of the planet. After decades of negotiation, we now have a treaty to protect biodiversity in this vast part of the ocean. Seabirds can be our guide to put this regulation into action, not least thanks to the powerful data collated here through the Seabird Tracking Database.
The High Seas Treaty creates a legal pathway to protect biodiversity, sustainably manage its resources, equitably share its benefits, and foster global collaboration. One of its four packages creates a process for the designation and implementation of marine protected areas and other area-based management tools on the high seas. Another package offers a coherent and standardised environmental impact assessment framework that can be applied to all industrial activities on the high seas. Seabird tracking data can be useful to inform the implementation of both of these packages, through providing information on important marine areas (i.e. where seabirds (and other life) congregate to feed), and by identifying areas of the ocean that might be particularly vulnerable to specific industrial activities.
Since early 2026, the High Seas Treaty is now in force. Governments that have ratified the treaty (so-called Parties) must already put regulation on environmental impact assessments and other parts into action. BirdLife advocates for a strong High Seas Treaty, with the long-term aim of achieving universal ratification, to allow the establishment of an ecologically connected network of marine protected areas, as well as global collaboration and cooperation to minimise the impact of human activities across the high seas.
Seabirds and the high seas
The Cory’s shearwater travels across the entire Atlantic Ocean. Conservation actions for this species – and other migratory species – are required across these vast migratory routes. Tracking data owned by Maria Dias.
The High Seas are incredibly important for many seabirds, and tracking data has demonstrated how seabirds use these waters, including important areas in need of protection (i.e., Key Biodiversity Areas), and the connectivity at an ocean basin scale through Marine Flyways, which are the broad migratory routes many species travel, with journeys spanning multiple national and international waters. This transboundary migration demonstrates the need for strong international cooperation through Environmental Agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on Migratory Species, and the new High Seas Treaty for coordinated action to protect migratory marine species and the ocean they call home.
Further information:
- Davies, T.E., et al. 2021. Tracking data and the conservation of the high seas: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Applied Ecology 58 (12), 2703-2710.
Sooty Albatross (Phoebetria fusca)
Percentage of time spent in High Seas, per month
Source: Beal et al. (2021). Thank you to our data contributors: Azwianewi Makhado, Henri Weimerskirch, Peter Ryan, Robert Crawford, Ross Wanless, Stefan Schoombie, Steffen Oppel.