The Rising Pressures on Ocean Governance

The document traces the history of ocean governance, from early pollution treaties and the 'Constitution for the Ocean' (UNCLOS) to the sustainable development goals. It highlights a fragmented policy landscape characterized by overlapping jurisdictions and a 'piecemeal approach' to international law. Despite these frameworks, the ocean faces escalating threats from overfishing, acidification, and pollution, with the percentage of fish stocks fished at unsustainable levels rising from 10% in 1974 to 34.2% in 2017. The author advocates for a transition toward integrated management and the ecosystem approach to combat these cumulative impacts.

• The international legal framework for the ocean has historically been developed through a fragmented, 'piecemeal approach', resulting in a 'dense and confusing policy environment' with overlapping jurisdictions.
• The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) established a comprehensive legal structure dividing marine areas into five zones: internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones (EEZ), and the high seas.
• Fisheries management in the high seas is characterized by a proliferation of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) that often lack significant cooperation and possess varying capacities to meet objectives.
• Despite the existence of numerous global and regional instruments, the health of marine resources has declined, with the proportion of fish stocks fished at biologically unsustainable levels increasing from 10% in 1974 to 34.2% in 2017.
• Modern ocean stressors, including ocean warming, acidification, and anthropogenic underwater noise, interact to damage marine ecosystems and primary productivity, necessitating a shift toward integrated management and the ecosystem approach.
• A potential new international legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction may address existing policy gaps and provide a coordinating role in governance.

APA

Tsioumanis,, A. (2021). The Rising Pressures on Ocean Governance. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/rising-pressures-ocean-governance

Chicago

Tsioumanis,, Asterios. The Rising Pressures on Ocean Governance. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2021. https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/rising-pressures-ocean-governance.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tsioumanis, |first1=Asterios |title=The Rising Pressures on Ocean Governance |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=8 June 2021 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/rising-pressures-ocean-governance |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tsioumanis2021rising, author = {Tsioumanis,, Asterios}, title = {{The Rising Pressures on Ocean Governance}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/deep-dive/rising-pressures-ocean-governance}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }