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WCC 2020 Res 107 - Progress Report

General information
Reducing the impact of fisheries on marine biodiversity
Period covered: 
2022
IUCN Constituencies implementing this Resolution
IUCN Members: 
Noé / France
SHARKPROJECT Germany e.V. / Germany
The Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan ( JREDS ) / Jordan
Coastal Oceans Research and Development - Indian Ocean (East Africa) ( CORDIO EA ) / Kenya
Wildlands Conservation Trust ( WCT ) / South Africa
Coalition Clean Baltic ( CCB ) / Sweden
Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition ( ASOC ) / United States of America
SYLVIA EARLE ALLIANCE (DBA MISSION BLUE) ( SEA ) / United States of America
PROVITA / Venezuela
Nature Seychelles / Seychelles
IUCN Commissions: 
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management 2021-2025 (CEM)
IUCN Commission on Education and Communication 2021-2025 (CEC)
IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic, and Social Policy 2021-2025 (CEESP)
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2021-2025 (SSC)
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025 (WCPA)
IUCN Secretariat: 
Yes
Implementation
Indicate which actions have been carried out to implement this Resolution : 
Capacity-building
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the actions taken: 
This broad resolution focuses on Reducing the impact of fisheries on marine biodiversity. The first main actions required by this resolution, i.e. the establishment of a Task Force to reconcile fisheries and conservation and the production of a scientific/technical situation analysis based on the outcome of a first consultative workshop, have not been implemented yet.

Several Members and constituencies of IUCN have been working on this topic for years and one can report here on their latest achievements:

Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB):
CCB conducted several activities that contribute to reducing all human induced mortality on eel. CCB has increased coordination activities surrounding eel management mainly together with the Fisheries Secretariat, but also including members well outside the Baltic region (Med, Uk). CCB joined the campaign #PowerToTheEel to get signature support for stronger protection for eels in 2021.

ASOC:
ASOC has helped achieve international support and recognition of the importance of Southern Ocean MPAs under CCAMLR. As the environmental NGO observer in the Antarctic Treaty system including CCAMRLR, ASOC regularly provides technical inputs including on MPAs and fisheries notably of krill regulated under CCAMLR.

CEM FEG:
The efforts of the Fisheries Expert Group of CEM on this matter include:
o Promoting OECMs in marine capture fisheries in collaboration with CBD and FAO. Developing informal briefings for the fishing industry. Developing a companion document for the draft FAO guidelines on OECMs in fisheries (relates also to Res. 080).
o Working on a re-definition of destructive fishing (in collaboration with Fauna and Flora International (FFI)
o Preparing a document or reporting by fisheries within the Global Biodiversity Framework. This work has been seriously delayed by the failure of the CBD to get an agreement on the GBF until now.
o Publishing on issues regarding the role of ABMTs in fisheries and biodiversity conservation (4 articles in 2022)
What challenges/obstacles have been encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and how were they overcome : 
IUCN DG and Commissions chairs have not yet established the international global Task Force required in the Resolution.
This is a very broad resolution touching on the mandate of many international organizations, and therefore, not easy to implement. It requires a good coordination between the DG, the Commissions chairs, and all IUCN constituencies.

On the expansion of the MPA system around Antarctica in the Southern Ocean, one can note that two countries have been blocking progress for several years.

Lack of time and resources (staff time) available for the Secretariat FP to coordinate the implementation of such a big resolution is one of the issues encountered.
Briefly describe what future actions are needed for the implementation of this Resolution: 
-Establishment of the international global Task Force to reconcile fisheries and conservation. The Task Force should i. involves all IUCN Commissions and all IUCN Regions; ii. takes account of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean; and iii. draws on relevant reports from peer organisations (e.g. IPCC Special Report on the Oceans andCryosphere in a Changing Climate);
-Production of a situation analysis report based on scientific and technical inputs and encompassing the outcomes of a consultative workshop.
Are these actions planned for yet: 
No
Status of implementation
Status of implementation for this Resolution: 
Initiated: first stages of implementation