From EEZs to high seas: Pacific leaders discuss BBNJ implementation

By Elilai Rengiil KOROR, Palau – With the High Seas Treaty now in force and its first global meeting expected by January 2027, Pacific leaders, conservation groups, and young ocean advocates gathered in Palau to discuss how the agreement can strengthen ocean management beyond national waters. BBNJ Panel, from left to right Marine Biologist and OneReef Impact Director Dr. Nicole Yamase, Youth representative Elchesel Sakuma, TNC Executive Director Keobel Sakuma, and FSM President Chief of Staff Yolanda Joab Mori. Photo: Elilai Rengiil The September 2 side event at the Palau Royal Resort, held alongside the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM), focused on the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction, or BBNJ.

The agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty, establishes a framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biodiversity in waters beyond national jurisdiction. The program included a panel discussion and a screening of Remathau , a film by marine biologist and OneReef Impact Director Dr. Nicole Yamase. Remathau is a word from the outer islands of Yap meaning “people of the ocean. ” Keobel Sakuma, executive director of The Nature Conservancy’s Micronesia and Polynesia Chapter, said the BBNJ agreement gives Pacific Island countries an opportunity to extend strong ocean stewardship beyond their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Pacific countries manage resources within their EEZs, which generally extend 200 nautical miles from shore. Fisheries licensing and vessel-day fees provide major revenue for many island governments, making sustainable management of tuna and other marine resources critical. Sakuma said Pacific fisheries management has helped protect stocks of bigeye, albacore, yellowfin, and skipjack tuna in the western and…