The United Nations Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement (BBNJA) – nicknamed the 'High Seas Treaty' – comes into force on January 17, a massive milestone in efforts to conserve marine life in international waters. The high seas are areas of the ocean that fall outside any one country's exclusive economic zones (EEZs), which are included in national jurisdiction. In most cases, EEZs include waters within 370 kilometers (230 miles) of a country's coastline. These regions make up