1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. Year Year 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

14. Further information http://www.commonoceans.org/
Contact information:
FAO: (Project Coordinator)
UNEP-WCMC: (Component 4 Coordinator)

15. 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