ABNJ Deep Seas Project Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation of Deep-sea Living Marine Resources and Ecosystems in the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction - ABNJ Deep Seas Project – recently started – CPPS is a key regional partner for this project. Hannah Thomas Area-based Planning Specialist, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Rich seamount biodiversity Seamounts Rich seamount biodiversity Deep sea sponges Cold water corals We still know very little about deep sea areas – but what we do know is that the deep sea isn’t a flat, lifeless place, its varied and structurally complex Chains of seamounts are massive underwater mountains supporting incredibly rich animal communities, such as cold water corals and deep sea sponges.

Hydrothermal vents and cold seeps home to hydrothermal vents spouting plumes as hot as 400degrees centigrade and cold seeps of toxic gases. These extreme conditions of heat, cold, darkness and pressure support unique communities of microbes that can derive energy not from sunlight, but from chemicals. Hydrothermal vents

Oil and gas exploration Shipping Offshore wind energy Deep sea fishing Deep sea mining Cable laying Oil and gas exploration Shipping Offshore wind energy Because of this richness in resources, deep sea ecosystems are increasingly under pressure from human activities. Fishing, mining, oil and gas extraction, amongst others, are now able to reach further and deeper than ever before. Since regulations are not as strong as those within EEZs, deep sea ecosystems in ABNJ are particularly vulnerable. UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre

A map of human cumulative impacts demonstrates that the pressures on these sensitive and vulnerable areas are extensive and are growing. This presents a challenge to the current legal framework governing ABNJ, which is not comprehensive and is carried out through single sector management regimes that are not coordinated. Without more cooperative, multi-sectoral management arrangements, the growing impacts on ABNJ ecosystems will upset the ecosystem balance and affect the health of ecosystems within national jurisdictions.

Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar ABNJ Deep Seas Project – Four components Component 1: Improved application of policy and legal frameworks Component 2: Reducing adverse impacts on VMEs and components of EBSAs Component 3: Improved planning and adaptive management for ABNJ deep-sea fisheries Component 4: Development and testing of a methodology for area-based planning Convención de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Derecho del Mar Implementation guide for international legal and policy instruments for ABNJ Regional collaborations for multi-sectoral dialogue Comp 1: - Development of a step-wise guide for the implementation of international legal and policy instruments related to deep-sea fisheries and biodiversity conservation in ABNJ - Develop model policy and legal frameworks for DSF and BC which can be integrated into national policies - set-up or strengthen regional networks or collaborations to enhance multi-sectoral dialogue

Revisión mundial de la pesca de fondo en alta mar ABNJ Deep Seas Project – Four components Component 1: Improved application of policy and legal frameworks Component 2: Reducing adverse impacts on VMEs and components of EBSAs Component 3: Improved planning and adaptive management for ABNJ deep-sea fisheries Component 4: Development and testing of a methodology for area-based planning A VME portal/database Updated high seas bottom fisheries review Regional “EBSA” databases expanded Support to countries on applying VME and EBSA criteria Comp 2: - Updating and improving the information available for VMEs and EBSAs; e.g. - develop a VME portal/database, - develop regional “EBSA” databases expanded in regions to support the global CBD/EBSA process, - Update the Worldwide Review of Bottom Fisheries in the High Seas, - technical and operational support on the application of VME and EBSA criteria provided Comp 3: - operational manual for improved DSF and biodiversity conservation, incorporating good practices and an ecosystem approach Revisión mundial de la pesca de fondo en alta mar

ABNJ Deep Seas Project – Four components Component 1: Improved application of policy and legal frameworks Component 2: Reducing adverse impacts on VMEs and components of EBSAs Component 3: Improved planning and adaptive management for ABNJ deep-sea fisheries Component 4: Development and testing of a methodology for area-based planning Comp 3: - operational manual for improved DSF and biodiversity conservation, incorporating good practices and an ecosystem approach Improving knowledge on key deep-sea species Action plan for DSF best practices

ABNJ Deep Seas Project – Four components Component 1: Improved application of policy and legal frameworks Component 2: Reducing adverse impacts on VMEs and components of EBSAs Component 3: Improved planning and adaptive management for ABNJ deep-sea fisheries Component 4: Development and testing of a methodology for area-based planning Component 4 looks at developing and testing methods for area-based planning. In order to improve resource use and biodiversity conservation, this component looks at improving the dialogue between sectors and investigates how multi-sectoral integrated ocean planning could be applied in ABNJ, specifically in two pilot regions, the western indian ocean and here in the south east pacific.

1. Review applicability of area based planning tools to ABNJ Component 4 1. Review applicability of area based planning tools to ABNJ cumulative use mapping Framework tools Support tools MPA network Marine spatial planning Offshore wind energy value fishery value Ecosystem service valuation and trade-offs cost-benefit analyses

Component 4 2. Gather experiences from regional ABNJ area-based planning OSPAR Network of MPAs in ABNJ North East Atlantic Sargasso Sea Sargasso Sea Commission CCAMLR Southern Ocean Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) Mandate for conservation and resource use 2009 South Orkney Islands southern shelf was designated as a high seas MPA Sargasso Sea Commission – formed by the Hamilton Declaration March 2014 Azores, Bermuda, Monaco, United Kingdom and United States OSPAR

Permanent Commission for the South Pacific (CPPS) Component 4 3. Develop and test area-based planning tools in pilot regions Western Indian Ocean Southeast Pacific Nairobi Convention Permanent Commission for the South Pacific (CPPS) Development of ABP tools Working with authorities in pilot regions to gather the scientific baseline information and to develop andtest these area-based planning tools Providing science-policy support and building capacity to use area-based planning to improve resource use and biodiversity conservation Because the development of a regional and cross-sectoral area-based planning approach demonstrates the implementation of a regional ocean policy, this projct is highly complementary to the objetives of the PROG initatives we are here to discuss.

Year 1 Year 2 Years 3, 4, 5 Information gathering Synthesis Applying and testing tools Multi-sectoral engagement Applicability of ABP tools to ABNJ Testing ABP tools Synthesis and sharing of ABP tool information Capacity assessment and identification of suitable ABP tools for pilot regions Development of ABP tools Regional experiences of ABP in ABNJ Support, guidance and collating lessons learned Information gathering is where we will collate our baseline scientific information that was referred this morning by Savitri and Julian as essential to supporting integrated ocean policy. Institutional arrangements in each pilot region CPPS / Nairobi Convention engagement

Further information http://www.commonoceans.org/ Contact information: FAO: chris.obrien@fao.org (Project Coordinator) UNEP-WCMC: hannah.thomas@unep-wcmc.org (Component 4 Coordinator) ruth.fletcher@unep-wcmc.org http://www.commonoceans.org/

ABNJ Deep Seas Project – Four components Executing Agencies Component 1 Component 2 Component 3 Component 4 Comp 1: - Development of a step-wise guide for the implementation of international legal and policy instruments related to deep-sea fisheries and biodiversity conservation in ABNJ - Develop model policy and legal frameworks for DSF and BC which can be integrated into national policies - set-up or strengthen regional networks or collaborations to enhance multi-sectoral dialogue