Greenpeace Demands Curbs on Corporate Influence in Ocean Treaty Talks

Advocacy group calls for limits on fishing industry lobbying to protect high seas sanctuaries

Mar. 23, 2026 at 11:12am

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Greenpeace is urging governments to curb corporate interference, particularly from the fishing industry, in the upcoming United Nations Ocean Treaty negotiations. The group warns that if industry influence is not limited, the process of creating much-needed protected ocean sanctuaries could be delayed or weakened, with potentially catastrophic consequences for marine ecosystems.

Why it matters

The Ocean Treaty talks will have a major impact on regulating destructive industrial fishing activities on the high seas. Greenpeace argues that the fishing industry has long prioritized its own interests over ocean conservation, and is now lobbying hard to weaken the treaty and prevent the establishment of fully protected marine sanctuaries.

The details

Greenpeace is calling for governments to impose a 120-day time limit on the review of sanctuary proposals, to prevent the fishing industry-aligned Regional Fishing Management Organizations (RFMOs) from stalling the process. The group says RFMOs have historically prioritized industry interests over ocean health, overseeing the decimation of marine biodiversity.

  • The Ocean Treaty talks begin at UN headquarters in New York today (March 23, 2026).

The players

Greenpeace

An international non-profit organization focused on environmental activism and conservation.

Regional Fishing Management Organizations (RFMOs)

Intergovernmental organizations that regulate fishing activities in certain regions of the high seas.

Megan Randles

Head of Greenpeace's delegation to the Ocean Treaty talks.

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What they’re saying

“The fishing industry has been lobbying to weaken the Ocean Treaty for years. We need governments to curb corporate influence now, stop kowtowing to industry pressure, and stop the process from being tied up in delays. If they don't, the result will be catastrophic for ocean protection.”

— Megan Randles, Head of Greenpeace's delegation to the Ocean Treaty talks

What’s next

The Ocean Treaty negotiations are expected to have a crucial impact on regulating industrial fishing activities on the high seas and establishing protected marine sanctuaries.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing tension between environmental conservation efforts and commercial fishing industry interests. The outcome of the Ocean Treaty talks will have significant implications for the future health of the world's oceans.