On January 17, the High Seas Treaty officially became the first global law to protect life across two-thirds of the world’s oceans.
Formally known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBJN), this landmark agreement guards the international waters sitting outside any country’s 200-mile coastal border. For the first time in history, these unregulated spaces have a legal framework for conservation.
Taiātea: Indigenous Leadership Beyond the Fine Print
Indigenous leaders from across the Pacific have gathered in Taupō for the final day of the Taiātea wānanga. Their mission is to ensure traditional knowledge isn’t just an afterthought in these new global rules.
Sheridan Waitai (Ngāti Kurī) who leads Taiātea, says the treaty’s success depends on real-world impact, not just paperwork.
“Words are words on paper unless they’re actually given action and real, meaningful action”
This view is shared by Kanaka Māoli leaders from Hawaii who worry the treaty’s current scope is too narrow. Nai’a Lewis argues the framework is insufficient because it lacks a holistic view, failing to protect the water column and the seafloor as one connected system.
For Solomon Pili Kaho’ohalahala, the date the treaty became law carries deep historical weight, marking the anniversary of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. He insists that Indigenous peoples must be seated at the table as primary decision-makers.
“Ultimately, what we hope is that we are not just recognised as indigenous people but we are also included in the decisions, in the policies, and to be seated at the table as decision makers.”
Pacific Action vs Local Delay
Smaller Pacific states are already demonstrating the leadership they want to see globally. Niue has moved to protect 100% of its national waters.
Shiloh-Faithe Pasisi of Niue believes the global treaty has huge potential, but only if it is “backed by the right voices and the right people from the get-go.”
This urgency is pointed out by New Zealand’s current lack of a vote. While Aotearoa was among the first to sign, the domestic ratification process is stalled.
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says the government is still waiting for advice from officials.
“We are waiting for the ministry... to send us all the materials you want us to consider, and then we can tell you what our answer is”
This delay means New Zealand will have no formal power to shape the foundational rules being debated at the UN this April. Instead, the country will attend as an observer.
The Path Forward: A United Oceania
While New Zealand waits to ratify, the message from Taupō is clear that the Pacific is already moving with a united voice to protect its ancestral waters.
“We have our own proven methods that we can apply to have prosperity in Te Moananui (-a-Kiwa).”
The leaders at Taiātea are looking past colonial borders. For them, the treaty is just one part of a much larger mission. Sheridan Waitai concludes that while the treaty component is important, the real focus remains on the enduring relationship between Pacific peoples and the moana.
