'Investigating the Ocean' Webinar Series: 'How To Report on Regulation and Governance'

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This session introduces journalists to the complex landscape of ocean governance: from international conventions to national agencies and local enforcement bodies. Participants will learn how power over the ocean is structured, who makes decisions, and where accountability gaps exist.

The webinar will combine OSINT techniques with institutional mapping to help reporters identify responsible authorities, uncover regulatory failures, and navigate opaque bureaucracies across different countries.

Panelists

Jelter Meers, research editor of the Pulitzer Center's Environmental Investigations Unit

Fernanda Buffa, editor, Environmental Investigations, Pulitzer Center

Elizabeth Alberts, 2024 Ocean Reporting Fellow, Mongabay

Tools and Platforms

• The Outlaw Ocean: documents and governance bodies of many countries around the globe
• FAOLEX (FAO Legal Database): national laws on fisheries and marine governance
• ECOLEX: environmental law and treaties database
• U.N. Treaty Collection: status of UNCLOS and other agreements
• RFMO websites (e.g., ICCAT, IOTC): regional fisheries governance
• Wayback Machine: track policy changes and removed documents

What Journalists Will Learn

• Understand how global frameworks (e.g., UNCLOS, RFMO systems) connect to national ocean governance
• Identify and map key government agencies responsible for fisheries, shipping, and marine protection
• Use OSINT methods to locate official documents, licenses, and enforcement records
• Spot governance gaps, overlaps, and weak enforcement points worth investigating
• Build a “who’s responsible” map to anchor any ocean-related investigation

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