Context: Recently, India signed an international agreement to protect marine biodiversity on the high seas at the United Nations General Assembly.

• The pact, formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, is signed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. 

• This Agreement is aimed at ensuring that marine life is conserved and used in a sustainable manner on the high seas, which is beyond nations’ territorial waters, and the exclusive economic zone could extend up to 370 km from the shores, which constitutes about two-thirds of all the oceans.

About Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (High Seas Treaty)

• It is an international treaty under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

• Aim: Conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Features

• It would define and demarcate marine protected areas in biodiversity-rich zones of oceans that are under stress.

• Parties cannot exercise sovereign rights over marine resources derived from high seas.

Significance

• Enhance India’s strategic presence in areas beyond EEZ.

• Contribute to achieving several SDGs, particularly SDG14 (Life Below Water); 

• Strengthen India’s marine conservation efforts, open new avenues for scientific research and development etc.

• Promotes using traditional knowledge and best available scientific knowledge.

Agreement addresses four main issues

• Marine genetic resources, including fair and equitable sharing of benefits.

• Measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas.

• Environmental impact assessments.

• Capacity-building and transfer of marine technology.

About UNCLOS

• An international convention (adopted in 1982 & came into force in 1994) which laid down a comprehensive regime of law and order in world's oceans & seas.

About High Seas 

• High seas are defined by international lawas all parts of ocean that aren't included in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), territorial sea, or internal waters of a country, or in archipelagic waters of an archipelagic country. 

• High seas and associated resources are not directly owned or regulated by any country.

• High seas comprise 64% of ocean.