BBNJ: Report information for a marine genetic resource utilisation project
Find out what information must be provided when a utilisation project uses marine genetic resources (MGR) of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Before you start
You should first check whether your activity counts as utilisation:
You may also find it useful to read:
Check when this guidance applies
This guidance applies where a utilisation project in the UK uses MGR of areas beyond national jurisdiction, collected after 9 August 2026.
Report information when there is a result but no commercialisation
If a utilisation project using MGR leads to one of the results set out in Article 12(8)(a) of the BBNJ Agreement but does not involve commercialisation, the relevant person must provide information to the UK BBNJ Focal Point.
The results set out in Article 12(8)(a) of the BBNJ Agreement are:
- a publication
- a patent being granted
- a product being developed
The relevant person should complete the appropriate utilisation information form.
The form asks for the following information:
- where available, the BBNJ standardised batch identifier
- where available, details of the post-collection notification related to the MGR that were utilised
- where the results of the utilisation can be found
- where the original sample that is the subject of utilisation is held
- the modalities envisaged for access to MGR being utilised and digital sequence information (DSI) on those MGR, and a data management plan for the same
Complete a BBNJ: Complete a marine genetic resources utilisation form (no commercialisation)
If information is difficult to obtain
The information does not need to be provided if the relevant person does not have, and could not with reasonable effort obtain, the information.
Example
MGR of areas beyond national jurisdiction may have been collected using a ship registered in a country that is not a party to the BBNJ Agreement, or using equipment owned or operated by a person in a country that is not a party to the BBNJ Agreement.
Those MGR may later be utilised in the UK.
If it is possible to identify, using location and date data, that the MGR are from areas beyond national jurisdiction and were collected after 9 August 2026, the relevant person for the utilisation project in the UK would need to provide utilisation information.
In that situation, it will not be possible to provide a BBNJ standardised batch identifier or details of a post-collection notification.
Example
If a fish has been collected during fishing or fishing-related activity from a UK craft after 9 August 2026, an exemption applies under the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Act 2026 and no pre-collection information is required.
If that fish is later used in a utilisation project that is not a fishing-related activity, utilisation information must be provided if a result is achieved. However, there will be no BBNJ standardised batch identifier or post-collection information associated with that fish.
More information about exceptions is available in separate guidance:
Information about patents
The utilisation information form contains a general link to the UK Patent Office website.
No further information on patents registered in the UK needs to be provided.
If the original sample is no longer available
If the original sample that was the subject of utilisation is no longer available, this can be noted on the utilisation information form.
For example, the sample may have been entirely used up during the utilisation project.
Provide a data management plan
The data management plan should set out details of how the MGR and any DSI on those MGR generated during the utilisation can be accessed.
The data management plan should include details of:
- where the MGR are deposited
- where any DSI is recorded
- how the MGR and any DSI can be accessed
This information can be provided using links to online information about the publicly accessible repository or database chosen.
The relevant person can upload a document containing the full data management plan when submitting utilisation information.
What if the information to be provided is protected from disclosure?
The UK BBNJ Focal Point will not send information to the BBNJ Clearing-House Mechanism if that information is:
- protected from disclosure under the National Security Act 2023
- protected from disclosure under UK law, in the opinion of the Secretary of State
If the relevant person in respect of a utilisation project believes that the information required on a utilisation form may be protected from disclosure, they should contact the UK BBNJ Focal Point as early as possible.
Further information: Understand onward disclosure to the BBNJ Clearing-House Mechanism
Submit information to the UK BBNJ Focal Point
The information form should be sent by the relevant person within one month, beginning on the first day that the result is achieved.
In a large research and development project, there may be several points at which results are achieved.
For example, a 5-year multidisciplinary project may include research on MGR or DSI on MGR at different stages. Each time an element of the research meets the requirements of a utilisation project and achieves a result – a publication, product or patent – information on that utilisation project will need to be provided to the UK BBNJ Focal Point.
The UK BBNJ Focal Point will submit the information form to the BBNJ Clearing-House Mechanism.
Complete a BBNJ: Complete a marine genetic resources utilisation form (no commercialisation)
Ask for more time
The UK BBNJ Focal Point has discretion to extend the period within which the relevant person has to provide information on the utilisation project.
Any extension must be agreed in writing with the UK BBNJ Focal Point.
If the relevant person considers that an extension of time will be required, they should contact the UK BBNJ Focal Point and explain the reason for the request: bbnjfocalpoint@fcdo.gov.uk
Deposit marine genetic resources and record digital sequence information
In addition to providing the utilisation information form, the relevant person must ensure that:
- samples of any MGR that were utilised are deposited in a suitable repository
- any DSI on the MGR that were utilised is recorded in a suitable database
Repositories and databases are suitable if they are:
- publicly accessible
- operated, in any part of the world, in accordance with current international practice
The requirement to deposit samples and record DSI reflects the BBNJ Agreement’s approach to non-monetary benefit sharing.
The suitable repositories and databases where MGR are deposited and DSI is recorded do not need to be in the UK.
Work undertaken by a person in the UK may be part of a broader international scientific programme where repositories and databases outside the UK are used.
Further guidance:
Record digital sequence information in a publicly accessible database
The requirement to record DSI in a publicly accessible database does not prevent a company or institution from maintaining an internal, private database.
It means that any DSI on MGR of areas beyond national jurisdiction collected after 9 August 2026 must also be recorded in a publicly accessible database.
Meet the timeline for deposits and records
The relevant person must ensure that:
- samples are deposited in a publicly accessible repository within 3 years of the start of the utilisation project
- any DSI on the MGR is recorded in a publicly accessible database within 3 years of the start of the utilisation project
Report information when there is commercialisation
When the utilisation project results in commercialisation, the relevant person should complete the appropriate utilisation information form and provide the following information:
- where available, the BBNJ standardised batch identifier
- where available, details of the post-collection notification related to the MGR that were utilised
- where the results of the utilisation can be found
- where the original sample that is the subject of utilisation is held
- the modalities envisaged for access to MGR being utilised and any DSI on those MGR, and a data management plan for the same
- information, if available, on sales of relevant products and any further development
Complete a marine genetic resources form (commercialisation)
Understand what “any further development” means
The requirement to provide information on any further development is related to the requirement to provide information on sales, if available.
An example of a further development would be the withdrawal of the product from the market.
For further guidance on completing the form, refer to the guidance on the information that needs to be provided when there is no commercialisation.
Submit commercialisation information
Commercialisation information must be provided by the relevant person within one month beginning with the day on which the product is made available.
This information must also be provided once a year for every year or part of a year that the product is available.
The UK BBNJ Focal Point will submit the information form to the BBNJ Clearing-House Mechanism.
Complete a marine genetic resources form (commercialisation)