SVG RATIFICATION TRIGGERS HISTORIC OCEAN PROTECTION TREATY INTO FORCE
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines made history on 17 September 2025, when the island ratified the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction – commonly known as the BBNJ Agreement.
Our ratification, alongside Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, and Morocco, pushed the Agreement past the critical 60-country threshold needed for entry into force. The Agreement will become international law on 17 January 2026 – a defining moment for global ocean conservation.
This powerful international treaty protects ocean areas that belong to no single nation – the vast ‘high seas’ that cover nearly half our planet. The BBNJ Agreement focuses on marine life beyond national boundaries, creating a framework to conserve and sustainably use these shared ocean spaces.
The Agreement allows countries to create marine protected areas in international waters, conduct environmental impact assessments for activities that could harm ocean life, share benefits from marine resources fairly, and build capacity in developing nations to participate in ocean science and management.
The BBNJ Agreement delivers tangible benefits across our entire nation. For our fishers, it protects the high seas where tuna, marlin, and other fish migrate, ensuring healthier international waters that mean more sustainable catches and secure livelihoods for fishing families. Our tourism sector benefits from vibrant ocean ecosystems that attract visitors, as protected marine areas in international waters help maintain the clean, biodiverse waters our tourism economy depends on.
The Agreement also strengthens our climate resilience – healthy oceans absorb carbon dioxide and regulate our climate, and protecting two-thirds of the world’s ocean helps fight the climate change that threatens our islands. Looking ahead, we gain access to marine scientific research, technology, and resources that can strengthen our capacity to manage our ocean territory and participate effectively in global ocean governance.
Carlos James, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development, and Culture, stated, “This step underscores our firm commitment to the sustainable management and equitable use of our ocean resources, and the protection of marine biodiversity within and beyond our national borders. As a Small Island Developing State, we are proud to contribute to this collective effort.”
Once entered into force, the first Conference of the Parties will convene later in 2026, at which Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will work to ensure that the needs of Small Island Developing States are central to the implementation of this Agreement.
