Headline: Strengthening high seas governance through enhanced environmental assessment processes: A case study of mesopelagic fisheries and options for a future BBNJ treaty

This report explores the challenges of address-ing emerging activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) through a case study – a hy-pothetical proposal to develop commercial fish-eries in the mesopelagic zone. The case study considers how such a proposal might be ad-dressed by existing global and regional bodies and processes and the potential future role of the BBNJ Agreement.