Europe Listens: Protecting the high seas with Essam Yassin Mohammed 

Around 70 per cent of our planet is covered by the ocean, of which two-thirds fall beyond national jurisdiction. After decades of discussions and negotiations, states adopted the so-called High Seas Treaty in September 2023. The treaty aims to increase the governance of the world’s oceans and tackle common challenges such as environmental degradation, illegal fishing, and preserving our marine resources sustainably.   

To kick off the third season of Europe Listens, ECFR’s Rafael Loss and Jana Puglierin welcome Essam Yassin Mohammed, director general of WorldFish and senior director of aquatic food at CGIAR, a global partnership that unites international organisations engaged in research about food security. What are the most pressing challenges when navigating the realm of ocean governance? What other developments or multilateral initiatives in ocean governance are on the horizon for the European Union and its allies? 

This podcast was recorded on 28 February 2024. 

Other episodes of this season: 

Episode 2: Exploring the deep seabed with Pradeep Singh

Further reading: 

2024: A turning point for transforming aquatic food systems by Essam Yassin Mohammed 

A momentous milestone for the ocean and global biodiversity by the High Seas Alliance 

Protecting the ocean, time for action by the European Commission 

Multilateral Matchmaker: Outer-space and maritime security governance by Rafael Loss