"NEW YORK -- Government representatives from around the world agreed Saturday to develop the first legally-binding agreement to conserve marine life in the high seas and international seabed, an area covering roughly half the planet.

After four days of intense deliberations at UN Headquarters in New York, delegates reached consensus to begin negotiating a UN treaty that addresses the protection of marine life in areas beyond national jurisdiction – the global ocean commons.

Delegates leaving the UN in the midst of a blizzard that hit New York early Saturday morning were excited about reaching consensus on starting negotiations towards a new legally-binding instrument."

Environment News Service had the story January 28, 2015. [2]