The rules, agreements, and frameworks that govern the ocean economy, both within Canada and across the international waters no single country controls. This section covers marine protected areas, the high seas and Antarctic regimes, deep sea mining, and the global bodies that coordinate ocean governance. Knowing how the ocean is governed, and by what, is part of understanding how its outcomes are determined.
The Rules
Canada has no single authority in charge of ocean conservation. The work is split across federal departments, Indigenous governments, NGOs, and research institutes, and the org charts do not tell you where the real influence sits.
The Rules
Antarctica has no owner, no permanent population, and limited economic activity. It has been governed cooperatively for more than sixty years. That turns out to be a useful reference point for the ocean.
The Rules
After nearly two decades of talks, the first treaty governing biodiversity on the high seas became law in January 2026. It reaches almost half the planet, and Canada has to account for it.