The study describes the governance landscape in ABNJ within the Western Indian Ocean and the South East Pacific. It aims to understand what progress has been made towards a collaborative and integrated Cross-sectoral approach to area-based planning in ABNJ, and what potential challenges and opportunities exist when considering such an objective within these regions. The results of this study are designed to contribute to the GEF ABNJ Deep Seas Project, part of which focuses on developing and testing area-based planning methodologies in ABNJ within the Western Indian Ocean and the South East Pacific. The study combined a desk-based review of legal instruments and institutional arrangements with interviews from representatives of global and regional institutions identified through the literature review and in close collaboration with partner organizations from the two regions.

This document reviews the international policy and legal instruments, institutional arrangements and processes relevant to deep-seas fisheries management and biodiversity conservation, and describes the inter-linkages and overlaps between them. It covers relevant international treaties and non-binding instruments adopted by a range of international organizations and other treaty bodies. The document explains the key provisions of these instruments, with a particular focus on identifying those provisions that require implementation through legislation at the national level in order to be effective. A summary of requirements or aspects of the international instrument that should be reflected in national legislation is also provided.

This technical document identifies global datasets that cover regional features within the Western Indian Ocean project pilot region, offering a high-level introduction to datasets of relevance to ABNJ in this location. This non-exhaustive review identifies 103 global datasets that reflect various characteristics of biodiversity within this pilot region.

This technical document identifies global datasets that contain regional features within the South East Pacific project pilot region, offering a high-level introduction to datasets of relevance to Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction in this location. This non-exhaustive review identifies 102 global datasets that reflect various characteristics of biodiversity within this pilot region.

Secretariats from seven of the eight regional bodies that manage deep sea fisheries were attending the 32nd meeting of the FAO Committee on Fisheries, the Coordinator of the ABNJ Deep Seas Project took the opportunity to call an informal meeting to discuss project matters. The meeting included an update on the project; updates from Secretariats on project related activities; initiating RFMO activities in support of project objectives; and a range of topical issues. The meeting agreed to form an informal Secretariats Contact Group comprising the eight organisations to foster regular exchange of information (including, in the first instance, notices on relevant future meetings such as the various global process meetings (BBNJ and the UNGA bottom fisheries review), the outcomes of such meetings, and an indication of which organisations are attending.