Sustainable Use of the High Seas BY Carl Gustaf Lundin

Outline  High Seas Areas and Geographic Features of Fisheries Interest  Biological Communities of Fisheries Interest  Climate Change and the High Seas Marine Environment  Elements of A Sustainable Management of High Seas Fisheries

High Seas Areas and Geographic Features of Fisheries Interest  Seamounts  Submarine Canyons  Deep Sea Trenches  Hydrothermal Vents

Seamounts  Important Feature in most seas  Biological Hotspots  High Endemism  Enhanced Productivity  Important for Fisheries  Many examples of rapid decline of stocks after intensive fishing effort

Submarine Canyons  Erosion Features Across Continental Slopes  Biological Hotspots  High Endemism  Enhanced Productivity  Important for Fisheries

Deep Sea Trenches  Ultra Extreme Environment  High Endemism  Low Impact from Fisheries Likely

Hydrothermal Vents  Chemosynthesis  Endemism  Enhanced Productivity  Trawling Potential Risk

High Seas Biological Communities of Fisheries Interest  Deep Sea Coral Reefs  Seabirds  Cetaceans  Transboundary Fish Stocks

Deep Sea Coral Reefs  Biological Hotspots  Enhanced Biodiversity  Important Breeding Grounds  Easily Destroyed by Fishing

Seabirds  Breeding and Feeding Areas  Low Reproductively  High Rates of Incidental Catches  Problems Solvable through New Technologies

Cetaceans  Migratory Routs  Breeding and Feeding Areas  Whaling  By-Catch

Transboundary Fish Stocks  Problems of Straddling Stocks  Common Access Problems  New Stocks Reduced Below Commercial Value in 5-10 years  IUU

Climate Change and the High Seas Marine Environment  Effects on Ecosystems and Fisheries Are Happening  Risks From Shifting of Ocean Currents  Current Fisheries Regimes are Ill Prepared to Handle Climate Change

Climate Change Mitigation in the High Seas  Develop Rules for Mitigation Activities  Develop Resilience in Management Regimes  Help Initiate New Monitoring Programs  Disseminate Findings  Initiate More Research on Climate Change and it’s Marine Impacts

Elements of A Sustainable Management of High Seas Fisheries 1.  Science Should be the Basis for Management Decisions  Apply Precautionary Principle  Strengthen Coverage of Regional Fisheries Agreements

Elements of A Sustainable Management of High Seas Fisheries 2  Improve the Management of Selected Fisheries Resources  Improved Control and Enforcement Measures  Strengthen and Implement IUU Action Plan

Pilot New Tools in Fisheries Management  Promote and Disseminate Fishing Technologies that Limit Bycatch and Reduce Habitat Destruction  Pilot the use of MPAs as Tools in Fisheries Management  Disseminate successes

Conclusions  Urgent Action Is Needed  New Fisheries Management Tools Need to Be Developed  EU has a Central Role to Play  Success Stories Are Needed