The UNESCO World Heritage Centre proposes adding oceanic sites outside national jurisdiction to the World Heritage List. Presently, only sites under a particular nation’s jurisdiction are eligible for World Heritage status. “Just as on land, the deepest and most remote ocean harbors globally unique places that deserve recognition, just as we have given to the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States of America, to the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador or the Serengeti National Park of the United Republic of Tanzania,” said Mechtild Rössler, director, UNESCO World Heritage Centre. To begin, the organization proposes five bio-diverse sites, all of which offer universal value, for inscription. Sites include the Costa Rica Thermal Dome, which is home to multiple endangered species; the White Shark Café, a gathering point for white sharks in the Pacific; Sargasso Sea, an ecosystem built around floating algae; the Lost City Hydrothermal Field, a crevice containing carbonate monoliths; and the Atlantis Bank, a sunken fossil island. “The High Seas have outstanding value on the global scale, yet they have little protection. These areas are exposed to threats such as pollution and overfishing; it is therefore crucial to mobilize the international community to ensure their long-term conservation,” said Dan Laffoley, principal advisor on marine science and conservation, International Union for Conservation of Nature.