Oceans Law and Governance Programme

The Oceans Law and Governance research programme investigates the design and operation of marine institutions. It seeks to identify opportunities to improve their efficacy and efficiency. At their base marine institutions typically rest upon a common understanding between interested parties concerning the scientific data, socio-economic uses and management needs of a specific aspect of the oceans. That common understanding gives rise to cooperation between parties, usually formalised through an agreed framework law or policy.

This research programme explores the variety of forms of ocean law and governance, commencing with the formal frameworks and the processes of forming agreements and making decisions. The programme addresses ways that these processes can overcome fragmentation of marine management across maritime spaces that span different governmental jurisdictions and multiple uses in order to produce more effective and efficient outcomes. Another specific focus of the program is on the ways that the established formal legal framework for international cooperation might accommodate emerging management needs. Each of the five areas of research focus set out in the diagram below comprises a comprehensive range of individual research topics.