HAMILTON II DECLARATION – CIVIL SOCIETY CONSULTATION

24 March, 2026

On the 20 March, the Governments of Bermuda and the United Kingdom hosted the first civil society engagement and formal consultation on the draft text for a Hamilton II Declaration at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Studies (ASU BIOS).

Representatives from 24 organisations were represented at the meeting, where they were able to discuss the process and draft text, and exchange views on Ocean protection.

A joint initiative, the Hamilton II Declaration, which builds on the first Hamilton Declaration that created the Sargasso Sea Commission, aims to seek political support to protect the Sargasso Sea under the BBNJ Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, sometimes now referred to as the ‘High Seas Treaty’.

The groundbreaking BBNJ Agreement came into force in January this year, and when States first meet at a Conference of Parties, scheduled to take place before 17 January 2027, consideration will turn to identifying what areas of the high seas should be prioritised for protection. Both the Government of the United Kingdom and the Government of Bermuda consider that the Sargasso Sea should be protected, and the Declaration is intended to galvanise international support to make that happen.

Chaired jointly by representatives from the Governments of Bermuda and the United Kingdom, the engagement and consultation event on Friday 20th March:

• Introduced the draft Hamilton II Declaration and its aims
• Explained the Declaration’s relevance to Bermuda
• Captured feedback on the draft Declaration text
• Explained how the Declaration will fit into the BBNJ Agreement process and identified the role and importance of consultation
• Sought to elicit views on where attendees may be able to assist in gathering information relevant to a collective proposal for Area Based Management Tools (ABMTs) under Article 19 of the Agreement The Hon, Jache Adams, JP, MP, Minister of Public Works and Environment, said “Protecting the Sargasso Sea has long been a priority for Bermuda. The Hamilton II Declaration is the next step in bringing countries together to take real action. With the support of our community and international partners, we now have an opportunity to turn that goal into lasting protection.”

The Governor, Andrew Murdoch CMG, said “I’m delighted to welcome to Bermuda the UK Ocean policy leads from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to take part in this important event alongside their colleagues in the Government of Bermuda. The draft Declaration was compiled by a small group of experts. It is not a final text and will be subject to a thorough process of consultation to ensure the final text achieves its aim with maximum support, particularly amongst those States that will decide on a proposal under the BBNJ treaty. As part of that consultation process, it is important that members of civil society in Bermuda, including our scientists, charities, and fishermen, have a voice in that process. The Sargasso Sea is a globally important area, and it is great to see Bermuda, as the only land territory in the Sargasso Sea, playing a leading role in seeking its protection.”

David Freestone, Executive Secretary, Sargasso Sea Commission Secretariat said “The Sargasso Sea Commission is delighted to support this timely new initiative by Bermuda and the United Kingdom. We have just completed a comprehensive scientific analysis that we can now use to highlight key threats and identify appropriate conservation proposals. We look forward to hearing the feedback of Bermudians and Bermuda residents.”

Craig Carlson, President of Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (ASU BIOS) and Professor of Marine Microbiology in the ASU School of Ocean Futures said ‘The Sargasso Sea provides an extraordinary natural laboratory for understanding ocean eco-systems and long-term environmental change. Initiatives like the Hamilton II Declaration highlight how scientific research can guide international collaboration to protect critical ocean regions beyond national jurisdiction. I was delighted to attend this discussion, and it was our pleasure to host this meeting on campus’.

Representatives from the United Kingdom and Bermuda Governments will now travel to New York to attend the Preparatory Commission for the BBNJ Agreement where they will jointly host a Hamilton II side event on 25 March 2026, as part of the process to engage States on the draft text and encourage signature of the final agreed Declaration ahead of the first Conference of Parties.

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