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Professor Erika Techera, Dean of Law at The University of Western Australia presented the development of the Law of the Sea from ancient origins to modern challenges at the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) in October.

Techera's presentation traced the development of the Law of the Sea from ancient origins to modern challenges and explored the implications for conservation and management of marine species - an issue of significant importance for Australia and indeed many other countries.

The presentation also conveyed how The Law of the Sea is one of the oldest areas of international law, underpinned by the fundamental principle of freedom of the seas; however this principle has not necessarily benefited marine species. As recent events have shown, conservation and management of marine species has been made more challenging because of the law's support for exploration and exploitation.

Erika Techera is a Professor and Dean of Law at the University of Western Australia. She teaches and researches in international and comparative environmental law focusing on marine environmental governance and heritage law and policy. She has published and presented widely on marine protected areas, indigenous governance and the recognition of customary law. She is the author of Marine Environmental Governance: from International Law to Local Practice (Routledge 2012); and co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of International Environmental Law (Routledge 2013). She is currently working on an ARC Discovery Project regarding the international governance of sharks. Prior to becoming an academic she worked as a barrister in Sydney.

View the full presentation by Professor Erika Techera.