Connectivity can be defined as the physical or ecological conditions that allow living organisms and non-living material to move between, or influence, habitats, species populations or assemblages that are intermittently isolated in space or time. This document provides an introduction to two forms of connectivity, functional and structural, and discusses these in terms of transboundary considerations. There are a number of other forms of connectivity, such as genetic connectivity, all of which are interlinked within the ocean system and can be transboundary in nature and vary in scale across the ocean. This presents an important challenges to planning (and management) processes, including regional-scale planning processes such as Regional Sea Programmes. This document therefore provides an introduction to connectivity in the marine environment in a spatial planning context. Through this, the first steps are taken in terms of in helping states assess the relevance of the ABNJ in their planning processes.

The main objective of this review is to examine a number of area-based planning tools and identify key features that enable them to be used for cross-sectoral area-based planning in support of the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in ABNJ. The tools examined will include those that already exist within national jurisdiction and those only occurring in ABNJ. Ultimately, the review is seeking to provide an indication as to how area-based planning tools can support— or are already supporting— cross-sectoral planning. The results of this review will be used to guide the development of a dedicated area-based planning methodology to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable use objectives in marine ABNJ.

Scientists and observers from the deep-sea fishing industry, academia, regional fisheriesorganizations, and non-governmental organizations met at the FAO headquarters from 30 January to February 2017 to review the performance of acoustics data in the assessment of orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) in the southern Indian Ocean.

Fishing with bottom-contact gear in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) occurs on continental shelves, slopes or isolated oceanic topographic structures such as seamounts, ridge systems and banks. These bottom fisheries comprise a small, yet valuable, part of ABNJ activities. FAO estimates that the total global catch in 2014 caught by bottom-contact fishing gear was less than 150 000 tonnes, comprising of more than 50 species in reported catches, and involved at least 11 flag States. Regional fisheries management organizations or arrangements (RFMO/As) and other multi-lateral bodies with a fisheries management mandate are managing these bottom fisheries in the ABNJ. Currently, there are eight of these bodies, three of which were created in the last five years.

Flyer on "Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation of Deep-Sea Living Marine Resources and Ecosystems in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction" More...