| ABM | Area-Based Management |
| ABMT | Area-Based Management Tool |
| ABNJ | Areas beyond National Jurisdiction |
| ABS | Access and Benefit Sharing |
| APEI | Areas of Particular Environmental Interest |
| BBNJ | Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction |
| CBD | Convention on Biological Diversity |
| CCLR | Carbon and Climate Law Review |
| DOALOS | Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea |
| EBSA | Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area |
| EEZ | Exclusive Economic Zone |
| EIA | Environmental Impact Assessment |
| EU | European Union |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization (of the UN) |
| ICCAT | International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas |
| IJMCL | International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law |
| ILBI | International Legally Binding Instrument |
| ILM | International Legal Materials |
| IGC | Inter-Governmental Conference |
| IA | Implementing Agreement |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization |
| IOC | Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission |
| ISA | International Seabed Authority |
| ITLOS | International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea |
| ITPGRFA | International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture |
| IUCN | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
| IUU | Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (Fishing) |
| LOSC | UN Law of the Sea Convention |
| MARPOL | International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships |
| MGR | Marine Genetic Resources |
| MPA | Marine Protected Area |
| MSP | Marine Spatial Planning |
| MSY | Maximum Sustainable Yield |
| NAFO | Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization |
| NEAFC | North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission |
| OSPAR | Oslo and Paris Convention |
| PrepCom | Preparatory Commission |
| PSSA | Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas |
| RFMO | Regional Fisheries Management Organization |
| SEA | Strategic Environmental Assessment |
| SIDS | Small Island Developing State |
| SPA | Specially Protected Area |
| SPAMI | Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Interest |
| SSC | Sargasso Sea Commission |
| TS | Territorial Sea |
| UNCLOS | United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea |
| UNEP | United Nations Environment Programme |
| UNESCO | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| UNFSA | United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement |
| UNGA | United Nations General Assembly |
| UN | United Nations |
| UNTS | United Nations Treaty Series |
| VME | Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems |