Common Oceans Facts

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.

The brochure presents an overview of the Legal template "Implementation of Port State Measures - Legislative template, framework for procedures, role of regional fisheries management organizations".

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

Poster on The Caribbean Billfish Project.