WCC 2020 Res 107 - Activity Report

FEG participated actively in the meeting of the CBD Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) on Ocean-related Capacity-building Needs for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Virtual, 5-9 June 2023), contributing to the analyses of capacity needed to implement OECMs in the oceans.

FEG Chair and EBCD Director participated, on behalf of IUCN, participated in the FAO COFI meeting held in Rome, September 5- 9. FEG drafted the IUCN Statement regarding the IUCN views on the program of work of FAO and particularly on the collaboration with the environmental agreements including the collaboration with CBD on biodiversity mainstreaming, MPAs and OECM where FEG continues to be an important partner for FAO, CBD, and other UN processes such as CITES, UN oceans and BBNJ.

The CBD-led Sustainable Ocean Initiative continues to foster dialogue between Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and Regional Seas Conventions while building capacities at regional level on internationally-agreed measures relevant for fisheries management and marine conservation alike, such as OECMs. Building on the FEG contribution in 2022 in supporting the joint FAO-CBD workshop in Central America and Wider Caribbean on Fishery-OECMs, FEG experts might will continue supporting the CBD Secretariat in promoting and building capacities on OECMs, particularly in fisheries.

The KM-GBF is silent on fisheries but offers multiple possibilities for fisheries to contribute. It contains also some new issues and concepts that need to be “translated” for the fisheries context, to help the sector report on its contributions to biodiversity conservation. FEG has planned the preparation of a document addressing these issues in 2022, with the support of EBCD and the Nordic Council of Ministers. However, its realization was delayed by the late approval of the GBF itself (December 22). A large part of FEG members will be involved and experts from CBD, FAO and other institutions will come in as required. CEM experts would be called in for issues like restoration (GBF Target 2), NbS etc. Following a coordination call on the subject, a first outline has been drafted and reviewed, reviewing all the GBF Targets, from a fisheries and sustainable use perspective. Full drafting will start in July and the document should be ready by the end of the year.
FAO has initiated a similar initiative, perhaps even more focused on fisheries (i.e. not looking across all GBF targets, collating views of fisheries groups on what they consider most critical for fisheries in the GBF, with the view to produce guidance and support to its member countries. One FEG member has been called by FAO (through an MOU) to develop, in particular, the human dimensions of the issue and specially small-scale and community fisheries. The FAO and FEG exercises are distinct but convergent and a collaboration between the two projects has been established.

This is an important resolution for FEG, under which a large number of FEG activities fall. Also, the reported under WCC-2020-Res-018 Valuing and protecting inland fisheries; WCC-2020-Res-023 Reducing impacts of incidental capture on threatened marine species; WCC-2020-Res-055 Guidance to identify industrial fishing incompatible with protected areas; WCC-2020-Res-080 Recognising, reporting and supporting other effective area-based conservation measures and WCC-2020-Res-107 Reducing the impact of fisheries on marine biodiversity, all are also relevant under the Resolution 107.
The Commission on Ecosystem Management Chair was asked to take the lead on the establishment of a task force for the implementation of WCC Resolution 107. FEG has agreed to participate in the Task Force established by CEM and 3 FEG members will be involved directly. resolution and has invited FEG to contribute in the task force as well as in the two workshops that IUCN will be organizing. The FEG Chair and two members will be involved in the task force and other FEG members might be called to assist as needed.