I was searching for the same thing/same terms and Blueheart (1998) by Alison Sinclair was the right answer for me.

There’s all the stuff about modified humans, terraforming and the conflict between those interests, but there’s also a murder mystery at the heart of the plot. There’s also this critical element that almost everywhere is under surveillance, but the camera feeds are fully public.

It is set in a larger universe but travel between worlds is very rare.

From Goodreads:

Of all the worlds discovered by star-wondering humanity, Blueheart with its endless, storm-tossed seas is the most beautiful. And the most doomed. Plans are already being made to terraform the planet into another Earth.But deep under the floating forests, the renegade Adoptives -- the planet's first colonists -- have another dream: The creation of a new aquatic human subspecies. As their struggle erupts into violence, Rache is called back to the seas, where he must choose between his humanity and his world.

I was searching for the same thing/same terms and Blueheart (1996) by Alison Sinclair was the right answer for me.

There’s all the stuff about modified humans, terraforming and the conflict between those interests, but there’s also a murder mystery at the heart of the plot. There’s also this critical element that almost everywhere is under surveillance, but the camera feeds are fully public.

It is set in a larger universe but travel between worlds is very rare.

From Goodreads:

Of all the worlds discovered by star-wondering humanity, Blueheart with its endless, storm-tossed seas is the most beautiful. And the most doomed. Plans are already being made to terraform the planet into another Earth.But deep under the floating forests, the renegade Adoptives -- the planet's first colonists -- have another dream: The creation of a new aquatic human subspecies. As their struggle erupts into violence, Rache is called back to the seas, where he must choose between his humanity and his world.

I was searching for the same thing  / same terms and Blueheart by Alison Sinclair was the right answer for me.

There’s all the stuff about modified humans, terraforming and the conflict between those interests, but there’s also a murder mystery at the heart of the plot. There’s also this critical element that almost everywhere is under surveillance  , but the camera feeds are fully public.

It is set in a larger universe but travel between worlds is very rare.

I was searching for the same thing/same terms and Blueheart (1998) by Alison Sinclair was the right answer for me.

There’s all the stuff about modified humans, terraforming and the conflict between those interests, but there’s also a murder mystery at the heart of the plot. There’s also this critical element that almost everywhere is under surveillance, but the camera feeds are fully public.

It is set in a larger universe but travel between worlds is very rare.

From Goodreads:

Of all the worlds discovered by star-wondering humanity, Blueheart with its endless, storm-tossed seas is the most beautiful. And the most doomed. Plans are already being made to terraform the planet into another Earth.But deep under the floating forests, the renegade Adoptives -- the planet's first colonists -- have another dream: The creation of a new aquatic human subspecies. As their struggle erupts into violence, Rache is called back to the seas, where he must choose between his humanity and his world.