Fiji, Oct. 14 -- By Elizabeth Feldmann-DeMello
A vote on the permanent location and operationalization of the permanent Secretariat of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement will be taken in January 2027. This rapidly-approaching moment marks a new chapter for ocean governance in the international community, bringing the world one step closer to an answer to the age-old question: Who actually controls the world's vast marine resources?
I found myself pondering this question during my first fisheries patrol. I still can remember jumping from our Over the Horizon small boat in the Pacific Ocean to conduct my first boarding of a commercial longliner. I was nervous and excited, and not sure what to expect.
That longliner loo...