Hello there, splashy reader. Sophia the Seahorse here. Before we begin, I must warn you: adults have named this ocean promise with the longest name in the history of long names that none can remember. Ready?

Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. 😵‍💫

⏸️Pause. 
😉Blink. 
😮‍💨Breathe.

Luckily, even the adults realised this was a bit much. Everyone now calls it something far more sensible:

THE HIGH SEAS TREATY

Much better. Still important. Still serious. But now you can say it without turning purple.

WHY DO WE NEED A BIG OCEAN PROMISE?

If you have been swimming around Bubble Buddies Bay for a while, you might already know this: the ocean has a problem. Actually, it has several.

If you did not know that yet, then you might have a small problem too. Possibly a very dry one. Here are a few ocean troubles, explained without scary words:

• Warm Water: The sea is getting too warm. This makes corals unhappy and fish feel confused.
• Plastic Mess: There is plastic everywhere. We see bags, bottles, and floaty bits that no one ordered.
• Overfishing: Some humans take too many fish. They take them faster than the ocean can make new ones.
• Noise: Loud boats make it hard for sea animals to live peacefully.

That is not sparkly. It is definitely not how an ocean should feel.

WHAT ARE THE HIGH SEAS?

Here comes the strange part. Some parts of the sea are so far away from land that they do not belong to any country. There is no flag and no borders. These are called the High Seas.

Which is rather silly, because the ocean is one big watery hug. It moves, flows, and connects everything. Pretending part of it belongs to no one is like saying the middle of a sandwich does not count.

Spoiler: it counts.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE? (BREATHING IS INVOLVED)

Here is something amazing. About 75 percent of the oxygen you breathe comes from the ocean. This is thanks to tiny floating friends called phytoplankton. They are like teeny, tiny sea plants.

The other 25 percent comes from plants on land, especially the beautiful rainforests.

The ocean and the forests are like the lungs of the Earth. Protecting them means protecting our habitat. Habitat is just a fancy word for home.

🏠 Your house is your habitat.
🪸 My coral is my habitat.
🌍 Earth is everyone’s habitat.

WHAT IS CAUSING THE TROUBLE?

Most of the time, the problem is not a monster or an evil sea dragon. It is people forgetting to be careful. It is not because humans are bad. It is because sometimes they rush, waste, or do not think about what happens next.

The good news? Humans are also very good at learning and fixing mistakes, especially when children remind them.

MEET THE OCEAN FRIENDS WE ARE PROTECTING

Think of some of the animals that need this promise:

• 🐢Turtles: They have been around longer than dinosaurs.
• 🐳Whales: Their songs travel for many kilometres.
• 🦭 Seals: They look playful but need safe, clean waters.

They do not need speeches 🗨️. They need ❤️ space, 🕊️peace, and ☂️protection.

THE ADULTS DID A THING

The adults of the world got together and said: "Okay. We need rules. Proper ones."

The High Seas Treaty is like a giant protective blanket for the ocean. It helps by:

Underwater Parks: Creating protected areas where animals are safe.
Checking First: Making people check if their actions could hurt the sea before they start.
Working Together: Helping countries share and talk instead of arguing.
Listening: Listening to scientists who understand the water.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE RULES ARE BROKEN?

Imagine you are in nursery or school. There are rules so everyone can feel safe. If someone keeps breaking things or being unfair, you do not ignore it. You tell a teacher. An adult steps in, and the behaviour has to change.

The ocean works in a similar way now. If someone breaks the High Seas rules, people notice. Scientists and satellites keep watch. Harmful activities can be stopped. When people speak up, the rules become stronger.

WHAT CAN YOU DO, TINY OCEAN GUARDIAN?

You have a role too. You can:

• 🔊Speak up when something feels wrong.
• 🩵Look after shared spaces.
• ♻️Use less plastic and waste less.
• 📖Learn about the ocean and tell others its stories.
• 🎗️Remind adults that promises matter.

FUN OCEAN MISSIONS:

The Artist Mission: Draw your own underwater protected park. Who lives there?

The Superpower Mission: Invent a sea creature that protects the ocean. What is its superpower?

The Detective Mission: Can you find three pieces of plastic in your house that could be recycled?

The Teacher Mission: Teach someone one ocean fact and watch their brain do a little flip.

The High Seas Treaty is a big promise. It is not perfect. It is not magic. But it is important. And remember: the ocean does not need saving from children. It needs saving with children.

Bubble salute, Sophia the Seahorse