scholarly journals Bioprospecting in the High Seas: Existing Rights and Obligations in View of a New Legal Regime for Marine Areas beyond National Jurisdiction

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ane Jørem ◽  
Morten Walløe Tvedt

This article examines the law governing bioprospecting in the high seas and subsequent use of biological material. Seen in relation to the on-going debate on a new legal regime for marine areas beyond national jurisdiction, the authors explore the degree to which existing rights and obligations under the law of the sea and patent law could coincide with one of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, namely that of promoting benefit sharing. The activity of bioprospecting is examined in light of the different freedoms of the high seas, making the point that different interpretations give different indications of existing provisions on benefit sharing. In particular, the regime for marine scientific research under the law of the sea exemplifies different ways for sharing benefits, all of which run up against implementation challenges when seen in relation to rights awarded by patents to inventions resulting from bioprospecting.

Author(s):  
Mossop Joanna

Bioprospecting is the process of identifying unique characteristics of marine organisms for the purpose of developing them into commercially valuable products. This chapter explores the legal regime for bioprospecting. It identifies the legal rules that apply to bioprospecting and the issues that may require future development. It discusses the UN Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) and the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) before turning to the rules that apply to marine bioprospecting within and outside areas of national jurisdiction.


2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moritaka Hayashi

AbstractThis article considers the gaps in the existing legal regime on deep-sea fisheries and explores a more effective global governance system. It is proposed that a new global agreement, modeled on the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement, be negotiated covering deep-sea stocks as well as other high seas resources, so that all fisheries on the high seas may be covered. The proposed agreement would complete the gaps in high seas fisheries regime and serve as an effective link between the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and regional fisheries bodies. As a short-term measure, FAO should prepare a set of guidelines covering all types of deep-sea fisheries, including shared and transboundary stocks as well as discrete high seas stocks. In addition, FAO's Committee on Fisheries should be strengthened in its global governance role, including co-ordination of all regional fisheries bodies


Author(s):  
Lodge Michael W

The deep seabed is the part of the seabed that is beyond national jurisdiction and is referred to as ‘the Area’ in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC). This chapter discusses the legal regime of the deep seabed. It covers the legal status of the Area and its resources; the International Seabed Authority; the regulation of ‘activities in the Area’; commercial exploitation; reserved areas; sponsorship by states parties; dispute settlement; and responsibility of the International Seabed Authority under Article 82 (4) of the LOSC.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-341
Author(s):  
Serge Beslier

AbstractThis paper examines how marine biodiversity and genetic resources in the high seas can be protected and whether their exploitation should be regulated. As to their protection, it raises the question whether existing sectoral approaches should continue or to create a new mechanism based on an integrated approach. In accordance with the European Union's position, the latter is favoured, while acknowledging that several States still have reservations and question the need for new legal instruments. Concerning the necessity of a regulatory scheme governing their exploitation, existing mechanisms under the Law of the Sea Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity are examined and it is concluded that they are not applicable or do not provide for specific rules on this issue. It is further presumed that the resulting absence of a clear framework is acceptable because the potential of commercial exploitation is still uncertain, so that there will only be scientific research without vital negative impact on the marine environment in the near future. It is suggested that the international community should rather focus on defining the legal status of genetic resources and clarifying whether they belong to the common heritage of mankind and require a benefit-sharing system, as proposed by developing countries.


FIAT JUSTISIA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Rohaini Rohaini ◽  
Nenny Dwi Ariani

Genetic Resources is a foundation of human life, as a source of food, industrial raw materials, pharmaceuticals, and medicines. From its utilization may provide a financial benefit to the provider and the user of it. Unfortunately, most of it obtained from developing countries through biopiracy, including Indonesia. Furthermore, in the early 1980s, access and benefit sharing (ABS) to genetic resources became an international issue. It leads to the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. However, since it was approved, the whole ideas of excellence of it could not be implemented, a problem on it still arises. Intellectual property right laws, in certain aspects, are possible for using to protect traditional knowledge from their utilization. However, at the same time, intellectual property regime also becomes “a tool” to legitimate of biopiracy practices. Due to massive international pressure, mostly in developing countries, it proposes two kinds of protections, which are positive protection and defensive protection. This paper will examine one of it, which is positive protection. By using the normative method and qualitative approach, this paper identified at least two kinds of positive protections that we can develop to protect genetic resources related to traditional knowledge, which are optimizing the patent law and developing the sui generis law. Furthermore, it can be done by some revision by adding new substances, an improvement on the articles, or even by doing the deletion on certain articles. Moreover, in order to develop the sui generis law, it identified several minimum elements that shall be contained on it, inter alia: the purposes of protection; scope of protection; criteria of protection; the beneficiaries of protection: the holder of traditional knowledge; the kind of rights to be granted; how the rights acquired; how to enforce it; how the rights lost or expired; and dispute resolution.  Keywords: Positive Protection, Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge.


Author(s):  
Kittichaisaree Kriangsak

This chapter explores the present and future contributions of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). Presently, ITLOS has made substantial contributions to the peaceful solution of ongoing maritime disputes and to international efforts against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. It has also provided guidance on the responsibility and liability regarding activities in the deep seabed area for the benefits of humankind as well as developed procedural rules and substantive law in international adjudication. Human rights at sea, marine environment protection and preservation, and delimitation of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles are some of the areas of the law of the sea elucidated by ITLOS’s rulings. Future challenges include legal issues pertaining to sea-level rise, dispute settlement as regards biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, and potential contentious cases before the Seabed Disputes Chamber arising from exploitation of mineral resources in the deep seabed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-705 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaute Voigt-Hanssen

Abstract An international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) will need to address “Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs), including questions on the sharing of benefits” from areas outside national jurisdiction (ABNJ). Existing international models of benefit-sharing have all evolved in the context of national jurisdiction and cannot readily be put to use in ABNJ. Current use of MGRs from ABNJ is practically non-existent, although any instrument or model would have to both cater for this situation and provide for any potential technological development and increase in use. The aim of this paper is to provide a simplified overview of options for access and benefit-sharing, drawing on existing models from international and national instruments. Existing options could be analysed through separating access from benefit-sharing and assessing them factually in terms of how ‘light’ and ‘heavy’ they are.


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