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- High Seas Treaty Goes Into Effect
- 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.
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- Gulf Fishery Management Council Votes to Extend the Requirements of the DESCEND Act
- February 9th, 2026 — by Catherine Janasie — Category: Fisheries
- 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.
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- Defining a Fishery: Inconsistency in Aquaculture Regulation
- January 6th, 2026 — by Savannah Schiebel — Category: Aquaculture
- Commercial aquaculture has emerged amidst the economic growth of the seafood industry. In response to concerns over overfishing, fish farming has become a promising alternative to wild-caught seafood and currently accounts for approximately half of the world’s seafood supply according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
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- Offshore Oil Drilling Debate Updates: Proposed New Lease Sales and Environmental Groups Efforts to Stop Them
- December 10th, 2025 — by Amy Kraitchman — Category: Offshore Energy
- The future of offshore drilling just became more unclear. On November 20, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (Bureau) announced a proposed 5-year plan to reopen areas of the continental shelf for offshore drilling that had previously been closed. This announcement comes days after Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum issued Secretary’s Order 3445, which terminated the Biden Administration’s 2024-2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program, which proposed only 3 new lease sales in the Gulf—the fewest number of sales ever—and directed the Bureau to begin developing “a new, more expansive” program as soon as possible. The proposed new plan calls for 34 lease sales, covering over 1.27 billion acres, in the Gulf and off the coasts of Alaska and California. Many of these areas had previously been closed by past presidents in order to protect sensitive ecosystems and prevent future oil spills.
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- EPA and Army Corps Propose New Definition for WOTUS
- December 1st, 2025 — by Taylor Young — Category: Clean Water Act
- On November 17, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) proposed a new rule to change the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). Defining WOTUS may seem technical or insignificant, but it is central to understanding which bodies of water are subject to federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA). It affects day-to-day decisions such as how to comply with federal law, when permits are required, and which permits are needed. According to the EPA and the Corps, by providing a clear and durable definition, this proposal may help accelerate economic growth and opportunities.
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- Changes Underway: The Army Corps Modifies NWP 48 and Retires NWP 56
- September 23rd, 2025 — by Taylor Young — Category: Aquaculture
- In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act (CWA) which granted the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) the power to issue permits regulating certain activities over navigable waters.
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- Breaking Down the AFFF Multidistrict Litigation
- August 11th, 2025 — by Blakely Durham — Category: Water Quality
- South Carolina has become a hotspot for litigation surrounding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The reason? The United States District Court for the District of South Carolina is home to the Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Product Liability Multidistrict Litigation.
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