Sargasso Sea Commission

The Sargasso Sea Commission was established pursuant to the Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea, signed on 11 March 2014, by the governments of the Azores, Bermuda, Monaco, UK and US. The Commission will “encourage and facilitate voluntary collaboration toward the conservation of the Sargasso Sea.” While the Commission has no management authority, it will “exercise a stewardship role for the Sargasso Sea and keep its health, productivity and resilience under continual review.” A more specific initial mandate is listed in Annex II of the Declaration. The Commission is the result of three years of work by the Sargasso Sea Alliance, and operates as a stand-alone legal entity established by Bermudian and US law. Operating in a largely virtual setting, Commissioners will serve in-kind in their personal capacity and will be supported by a small Secretariat based at the IUCN Washington, DC office. Commissioners were appointed by the Government of Bermuda and were selected through a consultation process in Spring 2014 by governments who support the aims of the Hamilton Declaration.