UN kicks off talks on high seas treaty

UN member states on Tuesday kicked off two years of negotiations toward a treaty that would finally regulate the high seas, which contain vast troves of valuable plant and animal DNA. "It is urgent they create a strong ocean treaty which allows us to create a global network of ocean sanctuaries," said Sandra Schoettner, a marine biologist with Greenpeace. The treaty is likely to allow for marine protected areas, and will aim to improve environmental research.