Five amazing ocean sites to make the first protected high seas areas

From the Sargasso Sea to the Costa Rica thermal dome, scientists are identifying key diversity hotspots to safeguard under a new UN treaty

From 20 September, the UN's high seas treaty will at last be open for signatures - an important moment that starts the process for nations to ratify it into their own laws. At least 60 countries must do so for the treaty to come into force. Scientists hope that it will finally allow marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas to be established.

Conservationists are urging governments to act quickly. Fishing hours on the high seas rose by about 8.5% between 2018 and 2022, according to estimates published this week by Greenpeace using data from Global Fishing Watch. The high seas are areas of the ocean that lie beyond any national jurisdictions and, as such, have no legal protections. They cover nearly 50% of the planet and house a variety of unique ecosystems. Yet many high seas areas are under threat not just from overfishing, but also pollution, the climate crisis and damage from shipping and deep-sea mining.