February 13th, 2026 — by Charles Miller — Category: Miscellaneous
The United Nations (UN) has announced the agreement to protect marine life in international waters, called the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNF) treaty, or the High Seas Treaty (the Treaty) has officially entered into force. Its purpose is to protect the ocean zones that lie beyond national waters, called the “high seas.” While the UN has discussed a possible agreement governing the high seas for the last two decades, serious talks only began in 2017. The impetus was both to protect marine life generally, and to reach the UN’s goal to protect 30% of the Earth’s land and water by 2030. The Treaty text was finalized in June of 2023, but required 60 countries' to ratify it before it became legally binding. This requirement was reached on September 19, 2025, and the Treaty officially went into effect 120 days later, on January 17, 2026. As of February 11, 85 countries have ratified the Treaty.
In order to address the risk of barotrauma in reef fish, Congress passed the Direct Enhancement of Snapper Conservation and the Economy through Novel Devices (DESCEND) Act of 2020. The DESCEND Act addressed the risk of barotrauma by requiring commercial or recreational vessels fishing for reef fish to possess a venting tool or descending device that is rigged and ready for use when fishing in the Gulf. A venting tool is a device, such as a large needle, that enables the angler to penetrate the abdomen of a fish to release excess gases. A descending device helps anglers release fish at depth to minimize trauma.
