Marine genetic sampling puts high-seas agreement into practice
North Atlantic expedition collected 94 environmental DNA samples
The National Oceanography Centre reports in an announcement that its scientists led the first expedition to collect marine genetic resources through the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement’s provisions. Sampling followed the first BBNJ pre-notification, submitted by Ireland.
The GO-SHIP AR7E-2026 expedition travelled from Ireland to Greenland aboard Celtic Explorer in July and August. Biological sampling included 94 environmental DNA samples intended to identify plankton and characterise biodiversity across sampling stations. NOC and partner scientists will now analyse the material, so the announcement does not yet establish ecological findings.
Why this matters for policymakers
- Policy analysis: research governance UK implementation should make notification responsibilities clear to researchers and expedition organisers.
- Policy analysis: monitoring Sustained sampling and analysis could strengthen evidence on biodiversity in remote ocean regions.
- Policy analysis: scrutiny Treaty implementation milestones should be distinguished from demonstrated conservation outcomes.
Image: Illustrative photograph of seawater filtration equipment during NASA’s NAAMES campaign, not the GO-SHIP AR7E-2026 expedition. Credit: Michael Starobin/NASA. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center from Greenbelt, MD, USA, Public domain. Resized and converted to JPEG for display.