‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak, an Indigenous Haida, Tlingit, and Ahtna Athabascan leader, is working to establish an Indigenous Law of the Sea to ensure that Indigenous voices are included in ocean governance. Gíidaak, who serves as the vice president of the Ocean Conservancy’s Arctic and Northern Waters program, emphasizes the need for a legal framework that reflects Indigenous relationships with the ocean, particularly in light of climate change and deep-sea mining. The initiative draws inspiration from the Māori law of the sea in New Zealand and aims to create a document that transcends national boundaries. Gíidaak highlights the historical exclusion of Indigenous peoples from international treaties and the importance of asserting their sovereignty over ancestral waters. Conversations are ongoing with Indigenous groups from various regions, including Aotearoa New Zealand and Canada, to collaboratively develop this framework.