The high seas — vast, unclaimed expanses of international waters covering 43% of Earth’s surface — are the largest remaining wilderness on the planet, yet they are being pushed to the brink of irreversible collapse. In a compelling editorial published by Nature, leading ocean scientists are sounding the alarm: it’s time to end all extractive activity in the high seas permanently.
Fishing, deep-sea mining, and fossil fuel exploration in these waters are decimating biodiversity, disrupting climate-regulating systems, and fueling environmental injustice. Though historically viewed as inexhaustible, the high seas have been depleted by centuries of whaling, industrial fishing, and now face new threats from deep-sea mining proposals, despite scant understanding of the ecological consequences. Just 1% of this immense area is currently protected.
The 2023 United Nations High Seas Treaty offers a glimmer of hope. If ratified by at least 60 countries, it could enable the protection of 30% of the ocean by 2030 — a target agreed under the 2022 Global Biodiversity Framework. But progress is slow; as of now, fewer than half of the necessary ratifications have occurred. Meanwhile, destructive practices continue under weak international oversight and opaque governance.
The ocean’s role in climate stability cannot be overstated. The high seas act as Earth’s largest carbon sink, driven by biological and nutrient pumps involving countless deep-diving marine animals whose movement shuttles carbon and nutrients between ocean layers. Industrial fishing, particularly at increasing depths, threatens to dismantle these natural systems. Less than 6% of the global fish catch comes from the high seas, and most of it is exported to high-income nations, undermining any argument of global food security. Moreover, the industry’s survival depends on heavy government subsidies, questionable labor practices, and widespread bycatch of endangered species.
Equally perilous is the push for deep-sea mining, justified by a speculative need for rare minerals. Nature points out that the ecological cost — including damage to deep-sea habitats and carbon release from disturbed sediments — far outweighs the unproven benefits. Terrestrial alternatives exist, and technology is already moving toward more sustainable mineral sourcing. Yet international regulators, like the International Seabed Authority, remain entangled in conflicts of interest, pushing mining ahead without sufficient environmental safeguards.
Nature makes a powerful case: the precautionary principle must prevail. The high seas are simply too essential to gamble with. Their protection would not hinder global commerce, science, or recreation. Instead, it would restore ocean health, bolster climate resilience, and provide a globally equitable framework for future ocean governance.
There is precedent. The Antarctic Treaty of the 1950s proved that the world can come together to protect a commons for the benefit of all. As delegates gather for the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, this week, there is no better time to echo that legacy. The high seas are the last wild frontier. We must choose protection over exploitation — before it’s too late.
