IMEDEA article in Science on the sea gene grab

The prestigious international journal Science has published a study which involved researchers from the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB) Jesus M. Arrieta and Carlos M. Duarte. The paper highlights that ten countries account for 90 percent of marine gene patents, among which are some present in international waters, a striking figure when taking into account the ten countries owns just 20 percent of the world’s coasts.

The first three, USA, Germany and Japan, account for 70 percent of these patents, while another, Switzerland, has no territorial sea waters. These statistics emerge from the article, in which researchers reflected the need to develop an international framework to ensure a “ethical and equitable access” to marine genetic resources, especially in international waters, accounting for 65 percent of the ocean surface.