By The Fish Site
GLOBAL – The UN General Assembly (UNGA) last week adopted a formal resolution to develop a legally-binding treaty for the conservation of marine biodiversity on the ‘high seas’.
The new ocean regulations are proposed to include: area-based management tools, such as marine planning and marine protected areas; environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements; the transfer of marine technology; and a regime for managing marine genetic resources, including benefit-sharing.
These developments have potentially significant implications for ocean economic activities, such as shipping, oil and gas, cruise tourism, fishing, marine mining, biotechnology, submarine cable, as well as for related sectors, such as maritime law, insurance and investment.
Leadership companies concerned about the effects these new ocean laws will have on high seas operations are encouraged to participate in the Ocean Governance and Policy session at the Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS), Singapore, 9-11 November 2015.
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The resolution calls for a two-year preparatory process in 2016-2017 to develop the treaty elements.
Industry involvement in this stage of defining a new ocean treaty is critical to ensuring that these new regulations are developed with full and balanced information, are based on good science and risk assessment, are practical and implementable and engender the constructive engagement of the ocean business community
