Beyond Human Access: Exploring More-Than-Human Rights to Oceanic Connectivity

The ocean is not just an isolated ecological concern; it is intricately linked to other water bodies, with this connectivity becoming a central focus of scientific research, technological innovation, and legal regulation. It is not only a matter of how "our" access to the ocean is technologically and scientifically mediated but also about more-than-human access. This article adopts a more-than-human perspective, interrogating how human interests, technologies, and advancements in science and law might mediate or constrain the access and rights of non-human entities to the ocean. Through the cases of Vättern in Sweden and the Mar Menor in Spain, the article explores the right of connectivity and flow, and contributes to broader debates on society's evolving conception of the ocean as a shared resource. It explores the shifting understanding of shared rights between human and non-human actors, underscoring how justice for non-human entities expands the discourse of Knowing Justice in the Anthropocene. By challenging existing paradigms that prioritise human agency, the article foregrounds the rights and needs of non-human actors, advocating for a more inclusive legal and scientific approach that recognises the interdependence between human and non-human entities in accessing and preserving oceanic ecosystems. By examining the cases of Vättern and the Mar Menor, the article argues that these water bodies and their ecosystems serve as critical examples of how legal frameworks and scientific discourses have both restricted and enabled more-than-human access to marine environments.