Report of the second workshop for tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) on the Ecosystems Approach too Fisheries Management (EAFM) organized in September 2019.

Marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), which comprise 64 percent of the ocean’s surface, contain ecosystems with marine resources and biodiversity of great ecological, socio economic and cultural importance. However, the complex management of the rich marine resources and biodiversity of the ABNJ requires international cooperation. This has improved since the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was adopted in 1982. Nevertheless, challenges remain if the responsible and sustainable use of these important ecosystems is to be achieved. The objective of the project was to promote effective global and regional coordination and to strengthen the capacities needed to achieve sustainable fisheries and biodiversity conservation in the ABNJ. This was to be achieved by ( i ) strengthening and broadening cross sectoral dialogue and policy coordination in ABNJ, (ii) increasing the capability of decision makers (especially those from developing countries) to participate in policy making processes for management and coordination of ABNJ activities and (iii) broadening the public understanding of threats to biodiversity, marine ecosystems and services related to the ABNJ.

The marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) comprises 40 percent of the earth’s surface, it covers 64 percent of the surface of the ocean and 95 percent of its volume. The Common Oceans ABNJ Program (2014-2019) was implemented by FAO as a concerted effort to bring various stakeholders to work together to manage and conserve the world’s common oceans.   The project “Strengthening global capacity to effectively manage ABNJ”, one component of the Common Oceans ABNJ Program, addressed cross-sectoral coordination and dialogue among the separate ongoing processes - a key gap that limited effective ecosystem-based management of ABNJ. The project supported participation and knowledge sharing amongst decision makers in cross-sectoral governance of ABNJ. Limitations to the project design, budget and accountability should be addressed to foster corrective action for phase two of the ABNJ Program.

Summary of the High-Level Dialogue and Global Media Forum taking place on the occasion of the inauguration of the world's first-ever large high seas aquarium and exhibit: Nausicáa, the French National Sea Center in Boulogne-sure-mer, France, from 26-28 June 2018. 

This side event took place at the second intergovernmental conference on BBNJ, co-organized by the International Coastal and Ocean Organization (Secretariat of the Global Ocean Forum), the Permanent Mission of Monaco to the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, ATLAS, and the Ocean Policy Research Institute of Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan.