Marine
and coastal biological diversity
The Conference of the Parties
1. Takes note that
progress has been made in the implementation of the programme of
work at the national, regional and global levels and that
facilitation of implementation has been undertaken by the
Secretariat;
2. Recognizes that the programme of work on marine and coastal
biological diversity must incorporate a diverse range of tools and
approaches and address the three objectives of the Convention, and
notes the need to ensure integration between the programmes of work
on protected areas and on marine and coastal biological diversity,
and in particular the programme element on marine and coastal
protected areas, to ensure effective coordination in their
implementation;
3. Agrees that the programme of work on marine and coastal
biological diversity should be applied and interpreted consistently
with national law, and where applicable, international law,
including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea;
4. Decides that the programme elements of the programme of work
still correspond to global priorities, which are not fully
implemented, and therefore extends the time period of the
programme of work by an additional six years, taking into account
the multi-year programme of work of the Conference of the Parties
up to 2010;
5. Notes that the programme of work has been refined to take
into account recent developments and new priorities and
endorses for the guidance of Parties and any other relevant
organizations or bodies the elaborated programme of work as
presented in annex I to the present decision and its
appendices 1-5, noting that Parties will implement those
suggested activities that are consistent with their national
priorities;
6. Welcomes the entry into force of the Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, and notes the
adoption of the International Convention for the Control and
Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments under the
International Maritime Organization and encourages Parties
to the Convention on Biological Diversity and other Governments to
consider ratifying these treaties;
7. Agrees that further technical advice is required to support
the implementation of the programme elements related to sustainable
use and to support the work of developing countries in achieving
sustainable use of their marine and coastal areas, including in
relation to tourism and fishing, and requests the Executive
Secretary to work with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations and other relevant organizations to develop that
advice and support;
8.
Taking into account the report of the Ad Hoc Technical
Expert Group on biodiversity and Climate Change and the
recommendations of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice at its ninth meeting and decision VII/15 of
the Conference of the Parties at its seventh meeting on
biodiversity and climate change, agrees that the programme
of work on marine and coastal biodiversity should address issues
related to biodiversity and climate change, and further
encourages Parties to make use of it as relevant source of
useful information and take measures to manage coastal and marine
ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs so
as to maintain their resilience to extreme climatic
events;
9.
Recognizing the particular significance of this programme of work
to small island developing States, invites funding
institutions, and development agencies to provide financial support
for the implementation of the elaborated programme of work on
marine and coastal biodiversity, and its annexes and
appendices;
Marine and coastal protected
areas
10.
Welcomes the report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on
Marine and Coastal Protected Areas
(UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/8/INF/7), [11]/ expresses its gratitude to the Governments
of New Zealand and the United States of America, and the World
Conservation Union (IUCN), for their financial, organizational and
technical support for this work, and expresses its gratitude
to the Chair and members of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group for
their work;
11.
Notes that marine and
coastal biodiversity is under rapidly increasing and locally acute
human pressure, such that globally, regionally and nationally
marine and coastal biodiversity is declining or being lost.
One of the reasons for this level of threat is the very low level
of development of marine and coastal protected areas;
12.
Notes that marine and
coastal protected areas have been proven to contribute
to:
(a)
Protecting biodiversity;
(b)
Sustainable use of components of biodiversity; and
(c) Managing
conflict, enhancing economic well-being and improving the quality
of life;
13.
Notes that there are increasing numbers of marine and
coastal protected areas, but in many cases they have not been
effective because of problems related to their management
(including as a result of lack of resources), size and habitat
coverage;
14. Notes
also that according to available data, marine and coastal
ecosystems are severely underrepresented as protected areas, and
these protected areas probably protect a very small proportion of
marine and coastal environments globally and consequently make a
relatively small contribution to sustainable management of marine
and coastal biodiversity;
15.
Takes note with
appreciation of the joint note of the International Coral Reef
Initiative and the Convention on Biological Diversity
(UNEP/CBD/COP/7/INF/26) prepared pursuant to decision VI/3 of the
Conference of the Parties on the International Coral Reef
Initiative resolutions on small island developing States (annex I
to the note) and on cold water coral reefs (see annex II to the
note);
Goals of marine and coastal protected
areas
16.
Agrees that marine and
coastal protected areas are one of the essential tools and
approaches in the conservation and sustainable use of marine and
coastal biodiversity;
17.
Notes that there is an
international body of evidence demonstrating that those marine and
coastal protected areas where extractive uses are excluded have
benefits for fisheries in surrounding areas, and in many cases for
communities, and for sustainable tourism and other economic
activities within and outside the marine and coastal protected
area;
18.
Agrees that the goal for
work under the Convention relating to marine and coastal protected
areas should be:
The establishment and maintenance of
marine and coastal protected areas that are effectively managed,
ecologically based and contribute to a global network [12]/
of marine and coastal protected areas, building upon national and
regional systems, including a range of levels of protection, where
human activities are managed, particularly through national
legislation, regional programmes and policies, traditional and
cultural practices and international agreements, to maintain the
structure and functioning of the full range of marine and coastal
ecosystems, in order to provide benefits to both present and future
generations.
19.
Notes that the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on
Sustainable Development promotes the conservation and management of
the oceans, and agreed to develop and facilitate the use of
diverse approaches and tools, including the ecosystem approach, the
elimination of destructive fishing practices, the establishment of
marine protected areas consistent with international law and based
on scientific information, including representative networks, by
2012 and time/area closures for the protection of nursery grounds
and periods, proper coastal land use, and watershed planning, and
the integration of marine and coastal areas management into key
sectors; and agrees to adopt this approach for the work of
the Convention on marine and coastal protected areas, and to
develop a strategy to meet this goal, including indicators of
progress;
National framework of marine and coastal
protected areas
20.
Aware that marine and coastal protected areas should be part
of a wider marine and coastal management framework, urges
Parties and other Governments, as appropriate, to make efforts to
adopt, as a matter of high priority (while taking into account the
resource limitations of small island developing States), such a
framework, taking into account appendix 3 to annex I to the present
decision;
21.
Agrees that an
effective marine and coastal biodiversity management framework as
set out in appendix 3 to annex I to the present decision would
comprise sustainable management practices and actions to protect
biodiversity over the wider marine and coastal environment,
including integrated networks of marine and coastal protected areas
consisting of:
(a) Marine
and coastal protected areas, where threats are managed for the
purpose of biodiversity conservation and/or sustainable use and
where extractive uses may be allowed; and
(b)
Representative marine and coastal protected areas where extractive
uses are excluded, and other significant human pressures are
removed or minimized, to enable the integrity, structure and
functioning of ecosystems to be maintained or recovered;
22.
Agrees that the balance
between categories (a) and (b) marine and coastal protected areas, in
paragraph 21 above would be selected by the country
concerned;
23.
Notes that the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on marine and
coastal protected areas advised that certain objectives of marine
and coastal protected areas, such as scientific reference areas can
only be accomplished through the establishment of category (b)
marine and coastal protected areas, and encourages Parties
to take this advice into account when determining an appropriate
balance between categories (a) and (b);
24.
Notes that there are some benefits of the framework that can
be provided with any degree of certainty only by including highly
protected areas, and that to achieve the full benefits a network
needs to include representative and distinctive areas and contain a
sufficient area of the coastal and marine environment to be
effective and ecologically viable;
25.
Agrees that key factors
for achieving effective management of marine and coastal protected
areas include effective governance, clear national legal or
customary frameworks to prevent damaging activities, effective
compliance and enforcement, ability to control external activities
that affect the marine and coastal protected area, strategic
planning, capacity-building and having a sustainable financing for
management;
26.
Urges Parties to
urgently address, through appropriate integrated marine and coastal
management approaches, all threats, including those arising from
the land (e.g. water quality, sedimentation) and
shipping/transport, in order to maximize the effectiveness of
marine and coastal protected areas and networks in achieving their
marine and coastal biodiversity objectives taking into account
possible effects of climate change such as rising sea
levels;
27.
Agrees that the full
participation of indigenous and local communities and relevant
stakeholders is important for achieving the global goal, and for
the establishment and maintenance of individual marine and coastal
protected areas and national and regional networks in line with
decision VII/28 on protected areas;
28.
Notes the technical
advice provided by the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group, contained in
annex II to the present decision and in its report, relating to
marine and coastal protected areas within national jurisdiction,
and urges Parties and Governments to utilize that advice in
their work to establish marine and coastal protected areas
networks;
Marine protected areas in areas beyond
national jurisdiction
29.
Notes that there are
increasing risks to biodiversity in marine areas beyond national
jurisdiction and that marine and coastal protected areas are
extremely deficient in purpose, numbers and coverage in these
areas;
30.
Agrees that there is an
urgent need for international cooperation and action to improve
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in marine
areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, including the
establishment of further marine protected areas consistent with
international law, and based on scientific information, including
areas such as seamounts, hydrothermal vents, cold-water corals and
other vulnerable ecosystems;
31.
Recognizes that the law
of the sea provides a legal framework for regulating activities in
marine areas beyond national jurisdiction and requests the
Executive Secretary to urgently collaborate with the
Secretary-General of the United Nations and relevant international
and regional bodies in accordance with their mandates and their
rules of procedure on the report called for in General Assembly
resolution 58/240, paragraph 52, and to support any work of the
General Assembly in identifying appropriate mechanisms for the
future establishment and effective management of marine protected
areas beyond national jurisdiction;
Assessment, monitoring and research
priorities
32.
Notes that the research
priorities and pilot projects set out in appendix 4 to annex I
to the present decision would provide important assistance to
national and, where appropriate, regional efforts to establish and
maintain marine and coastal protected areas and national and
regional networks, and that research programmes on the conservation
of marine and coastal biodiversity resources are needed while
setting up national biodiversity research priorities;
33.
Agrees to incorporate
the research priorities and pilot projects contained in appendix 4
to annex I to the present decision into the programme of work on
marine and coastal biodiversity, and requests the Executive
Secretary to identify partners to adopt the research priorities and
undertake these projects as a matter of urgency;
34.
Notes that it is necessary to develop research programmes on
the conservation of marine biological diversity resources beyond
marine and coastal protected areas, with a view to establishing
protected-area networks;
International support for the creation of
networks of marine and coastal protected areas
35.
Urges Parties, other
Governments and relevant organizations to provide active financial,
technical and other support for the establishment of a global
system of marine and coastal protected area networks and the
implementation within it of relevant provisions contained in this
decision, including identification and removal of barriers to the
creation of marine and coastal protected areas, and removal of
perverse incentives for unsustainable activities in the marine and
coastal environment, pursuant to decision VI/15, on incentive
measures, within the framework of relevant marine-related
international law;
36.
Decides to examine the need for support through the financial
mechanism to developing country Parties, in particular the least
developed and small island developing States among them, for
country-driven activities aimed at enhancing capabilities for
activities relating to the establishment and maintenance of marine
and coastal protected areas and networks of marine and coastal
protected areas and in particular to assist Parties to develop
systems to make their marine and coastal protected area networks
self-sustaining in the medium to long term;
37.
Notes that further technical advice related to network
design and in particular ecological coherence of networks may be
needed to assist Parties in implementation work, and requests the
Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Bureau of Subsidiary
Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, to identify
appropriate mechanisms for developing this advice;
Monitoring progress toward the global
goal
38.
Invites the World
Conservation Monitoring Centre of the United Nations Environment
Programme, in collaboration with relevant organizations and
authorities, to provide and maintain up-to-date information on
marine and coastal protected areas, in line with the proposed
categories for inventory and contextual information set out in
annex III below, to provide a basis for the assessment work under
the Convention;
39.
Requests the Executive
Secretary to provide an assessment of progress toward the global
goal, as part of reporting on the programme of work on marine and
coastal biological diversity;
40.
Welcomes the summary report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert
Group on Mariculture (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/8/9/Add.2) and the full report of the Group as presented as an
information document for the eighth meeting of the Subsidiary Body
on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
(UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/8/INF/6);
41.
Expresses its appreciation to the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the technical support
and meeting facilities provided for the meeting of the Ad Hoc
Technical Expert Group on Mariculture;
42. Takes
note of the negative biodiversity effects of mariculture, as
described in section II of the summary report of the Ad Hoc
Technical Expert Group on Mariculture, and of the methods and
techniques available for their mitigation, as described in section
III of that summary report;
43. Notes
also that, in section IV of the summary report, the Ad Hoc
Technical Expert Group identified some positive effects for
biodiversity of some forms of mariculture with native
species;
44.
Urges Parties and other Governments to adopt the use of
relevant methods and techniques for avoiding the adverse effects of
mariculture on marine and coastal biological diversity, and
incorporate them into their national biodiversity strategies and
action plans;
45.
Recognizes the complexity of mariculture activities, the
highly variable circumstances of different geographical areas,
mariculture practices and cultured species, as well as social,
cultural and economic conditions, which will influence mitigation
options, and, accordingly, taking into account the special needs of
and the difficulties faced by stakeholders in developing countries,
recommends that Parties and other Governments adopt the use
of the following specific methods, techniques or practices for
avoiding the adverse biodiversity related effects of
mariculture:
(a) The
application of environmental impact assessments, or similar
assessment and monitoring procedures, for mariculture developments,
with due consideration paid to the scale and nature of the
operation, as well as carrying capacities of the environment,
taking into account the guidelines on the integration of
biodiversity considerations in environmental impact assessment
legislation and/or processes and in strategic impact assessment,
endorsed by the Conference of the Parties in its
decision VI/7 A, as well as the recommendations endorsed
in decision VI/10, annex II, on the conduct of cultural,
environmental and social impact assessments regarding developments
proposed to take place on, or which are likely to impact on, sacred
sites and on lands and waters traditionally occupied or used by
indigenous and local communities. There is a need to address
the likely immediate, intermediate and long-term impacts on all
levels of biodiversity;
(b)
Development of effective site-selection methods, in the framework
of integrated marine and coastal area management, taking into
account the special needs and difficulties encountered by
stakeholders in developing countries;
(c)
Development of effective methods for effluent and waste
control;
(d)
Development of appropriate genetic resource management plans at the
hatchery level and in the breeding areas, including
cryopreservation techniques, aimed at biodiversity
conservation;
(e)
Development of controlled low-cost hatchery and genetically sound
reproduction methods, made available for widespread use, in order
to avoid seed collection from nature, where appropriate. In cases
where seed collection from nature cannot be avoided,
environmentally sound practices for spat collecting operations
should be employed;
(f) Use of
selective fishing gear in order to avoid or minimize by-catch in
cases where seed are collected from nature;
(g) Use of
native species and subspecies in mariculture;
(h)
Implementation of effective measures to prevent the inadvertent
release of mariculture species and fertile polyploids, including,
in the framework of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, living
modified organisms (LMOs);
(i)
Use of proper methods of breeding and proper places of releasing in
order to protect genetic diversity;
(j)
Minimizing the use of antibiotics through better husbandry
techniques;
(k) Ensuring
that fish stocks used for fish meal and fish oil are managed in
such a way as to be sustainable and to maintain the trophic
web;
(l)
Use of selective methods in industrial fisheries to avoid or
minimize by-catch;
(m) Considering
traditional knowledge, where applicable as a source to develop
sustainable mariculture techniques;
46.
Urges Parties and other Governments to adopt relevant best
management practices and legal and institutional arrangements for
sustainable mariculture, taking into account the special needs and
difficulties encountered by stakeholders in developing countries,
in particular through implementing Article 9 of Code of Conduct on
Responsible Fisheries, as well as other provisions in the Code
dealing with aquaculture, recognizing that it provides necessary
guidance to develop legislative and policy frameworks at the
national, regional and international levels;
47.
Requests the Executive Secretary to undertake a
comprehensive review of relevant documents on best practices
relevant to mariculture, and to disseminate the results, as well as
relevant case studies, through the clearing-house mechanism prior
to the tenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and technological Advice;
48.
Agrees to incorporate the research and monitoring priorities
identified by the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Mariculture as
outlined in appendix 5 to annex I to the present decision into
the programme of work on marine and coastal biological
diversity;
49.
Recommends that the Executive Secretary, in collaboration
with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
and other relevant organizations, explore ways and means for
implementing these research and monitoring priorities, including an
evaluation of means through which mariculture can be used to
restore or maintain biodiversity;
50.
Recommends that the Executive Secretary, in collaboration
with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
and other relevant organizations, harmonize the use of terms in
regard to mariculture by further developing and adopting the
glossary of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations;
51.
Expresses its support for regional and international
collaboration to address transboundary impacts of mariculture on
biodiversity, such as spread of disease and invasive alien
species;
52.
Decides to promote technical exchange and training
programmes, and transfer of tools and technology;
53.
Decides to examine the need for support through the
financial mechanism to developing country Parties for
country-driven activities aimed at enhancing capabilities to
mitigate the adverse effects of mariculture on biological
diversity;
54.
Requests the Executive Secretary, in consultation with
Parties and other Governments and the International Seabed
Authority, and in collaboration with international organizations,
such as the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law
of the Sea, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the
InterGovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations
Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, if appropriate,
to compile information on the methods for the identification,
assessment and monitoring of genetic resources of the seabed and
ocean floor and subsoil thereof, in areas beyond the limits of
national jurisdiction; compile and synthesize information on their
status and trends including identification of threats to such
genetic resources and the technical options for their protection;
and report on the progress made to the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice;
55.
Welcomes United Nations General Assembly resolution 58/240
of December 2003 and invites the Parties to raise their
concerns regarding the issue of conservation and sustainable use of
genetic resources of the deep seabed beyond limits of national
jurisdiction at the next meeting of the General Assembly and
further
invites the General Assembly to further
coordinate work relating to conservation and sustainable use of
genetic resources of the deep seabed beyond the limits of national
jurisdiction;
56.
Invites Parties and other States to identify activities and
processes under their jurisdiction or control which may have
significant adverse impact on deep seabed ecosystems and species
beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, in order to address
Article 3 of the Convention;
Conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity in marine areas beyond the limits of national
jurisdiction
57.
Recalling paragraph 32 (a) and (c) of the Plan of
Implementation from the World Summit on Sustainable Development,
that calls on the international community to "maintain the
productivity and biodiversity of important and vulnerable marine
and coastal areas, including in areas within and beyond national
jurisdiction";
58.
Notes that United
Nations General Assembly in paragraph 51 of its resolution 58/240 has reiterated "its call for urgent consideration of ways to
integrate and improve, on a scientific basis, the management of
risks to the marine biodiversity of seamounts, cold water coral
reefs and certain other underwater features";
59.
Recalls paragraph
52 of General Assembly resolution 58/240, in which the
Assembly "invites the relevant global and regional bodies, in
accordance with their mandate, to investigate urgently how to
better address, on a scientific basis, including the application of
precaution, the threats and risks to vulnerable and threatened
marine ecosystems and biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction;
how existing treaties and other relevant instruments can be used in
this process consistent with international law, in particular with
the Convention, and with the principles of an integrated
ecosystem-based approach to management, including the
identification of marine ecosystem types that warrant priority
attention and to explore a range of potential approaches and tools
for the protection and management";
60.
Concerned about the
serious threats to the biological diversity, stresses the
need for rapid action to address these threats on the basis of the
precautionary approach and the ecosystem approach, in marine areas
beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, in particular areas
with seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and cold-water corals, other
vulnerable ecosystems and certain other underwater features,
resulting from processes and activities in such areas;
61.
Calls upon the General Assembly and other relevant
international and regional organizations, within their mandate,
according to their rules of procedure, to urgently take the
necessary short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to
eliminate/avoid destructive practices, consistent with
international law, on scientific basis, including the application
of precaution, for example, consideration on a case by case basis,
of interim prohibition of destructive practices adversely impacting
the marine biological diversity associated with the areas
identified in paragraph 60 above;
62.
Recommends Parties to also urgently take the necessary
short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to respond to the
loss or reduction of marine biological diversity associated with
the areas identified in paragraph 60 above.
Annex
I
ELABORATED PROGRAMME OF WORK ON MARINE AND COSTAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
I. VISION, MISSION, GOALS AND TARGETS OF THE PROGRAMME OF WORK ON MARINE AND COASTAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
A.
Overall vision
1. The
overall vision that the effective implementation of the elaborated
programme of work on marine and coastal biological diversity
strives to attain is to halt the loss of marine and coastal
biological diversity nationally, regionally and globally and secure
its capacity to provide goods and services.
B.
Mission
2. The
overall goal of the programme of work on marine and coastal
biodiversity, consistent with the Strategic Plan of the Convention,
is to promote the implementation of the three objectives of the
Convention and achieve significant reduction of the current rate of
marine and coastal biological diversity loss by the year
2010.
C.
Goals and targets
3.
Requests SBSTTA at its or meeting to further refine the proposal for the
integration of outcome-oriented targets into the programme of work
on marine and coastal biodiversity taking into account, as
appropriate, the framework in annex II of decision VII/30 on the
future evaluation of progress on the Strategic Plan, and taking
into account that these goals and targets should be viewed as
flexible framework within which national and/or regional targets
may be developed, according to national priorities and capacities,
and decides that outcome-oriented targets are a key priority at
SBSTTA.
II.
Basic principles
4. In
accordance with paragraphs 2-14 of the annex to decision IV/5, the
ecosystem approach and the precautionary approach have a central
role in guiding all activities undertaken as part of the programme
of work, and thus provide the foundation for its
implementation. The success of the programme of work also
relies on scientific research aimed at providing understanding of
the functioning of the broader ecosystem in terms of its component
parts and their connectivity. Research efforts oriented
towards the information needs of management ensure that management
decisions are based on best available science in the context of the
precautionary approach. The roster of experts continues to
provide the Executive Secretary with a valuable source of expertise
in marine and coastal biological diversity, and its continued use,
expansion and updating is encouraged. The programme of work will
also use and draw upon scientific, technical and technological
knowledge of local and indigenous communities in keeping with the
contents of Article 8(j) of the Convention, as well as community
and user-based approaches.
5. The
programme of work may be implemented on the following
levels:
(a)
National and local, which provide the primary level of implementation of
the activities in the programme of work;
(b)
Regional, where
appropriate, through regional organizations, arrangements and
bodies;
(c)
Global, where
appropriate, through international organizations and appropriate
bodies.
6. The
involvement of all relevant stakeholders in implementation of the
programme of work should be promoted. The role of the Secretariat
is to promote and facilitate the implementation of the programme of
work.
7. The
implementation of the programme of work should be carried out with
the full and effective participation of indigenous and local
communities as appropriate and respect of their rights under
domestic and applicable international law. In this context, Article
6.18 of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which
highlights the need to protect the preferential access rights of
fishers and fishworkers, particularly those engaged in subsistence,
small-scale and artisanal fisheries, to traditional fishing grounds
and resources, should be noted.
8. In
accordance with the Millennium Development Goals, the
implementation of the programme of work aims to make a direct
contribution to poverty alleviation. Its successful implementation
will require national and regional capacity-building and financial
resources for developing country Parties, in particular the least
developed and small island developing States among them.
III.
PROGRAMME ELEMENTS
Programme element 1: Implementation of integrated marine and coastal area management (IMCAM)
Goal: To promote and improve the implementation of IMCAM at
the local, national and regional level.
Operational objective 1.1:To apply
appropriate policy instruments and strategies, including building
of capacity, for the effective implementation of
IMCAM
Suggested activities:
(a)
To promote, within the
framework of IMCAM, the integration of biological diversity
concerns in all socio-economic sectors adversely impacting the
marine and coastal environment.
(b)
To promote the application of
ecosystem-based management, including through integration of
coastal management activities and watershed management.
(c)
To identify obstacles to the
implementation of IMCAM nationally and regionally, and develop and
implement strategies, such as partnerships, tools and other means,
to overcome those obstacles, including provision of guidance on the
application of such tools.
(d)
To encourage the application
of the ecosystem approach, promote integrated multidisciplinary and
multisectoral coastal and ocean management at the national level,
and encourage States in developing ocean policies and mechanisms on
integrated coastal management.
(e)
To promote the identification
or establishment of national and, where appropriate, regional
processes for developing advice on the application of IMCAM and
issues identified under the operational objective.
(f)
To assist the development of
national and regional capacity-building.
(g)
To provide information on
relevant legal and institutional issues, having regard to the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other
related international and regional agreements.
(h)
To assist the development of
appropriate education and public awareness programmes at all
levels.
(i)
To provide guidance on
maintenance and wider application of local and traditional
knowledge.
(j)
To cooperate with and
build upon the Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) concept, as well as
specific LME projects that are ongoing or planned.
Ways
and means
The activities should be
carried out by Parties acting individually or under regional
agreements, assisted by regional and international organizations,
and the Executive Secretary. An ad hoc technical expert group on
implementation of integrated marine and coastal area management
(SBSTTA recommendation VIII/3 A, annex) will provide guidance
on implementation of activity (c).
Operational objective 1.2: To undertake direct
action to protect the marine environment from negative
impacts
Suggested
activities
(a)
To promote adequate protection
of areas important for reproduction such as spawning and nursery
areas and restoration of such areas and other important habitats
for marine living resources.
(b)
To promote action to reduce
and control sea-based sources of pollution.
(c)
To achieve substantial
progress in protecting the marine environment from land-based
activities through effective application of the Global Programme of
Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based
Activities and other appropriate instruments, including proper
coastal land use, watershed planning, and integration of integrated
marine and coastal area management into key sectors.
(d)
To promote urgent and special attention and measures in respect to
closed and semi-closed seas.
(e)
To take measures to reduce
by-catch.
Ways and means
The activities should be carried out by Parties acting individually
or under regional agreements where appropriate and assisted by
regional and international organizations, including the Global
Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment
from Land-based Activities. The Executive Secretary should assist
Parties in implementation.
Operational objective 1.3: To develop
guidelines for ecosystem evaluation and assessment, paying
attention to the need to identify and select indicators, including
social and abiotic indicators that distinguish between natural and
human-induced effects.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To promote the development of
sets of national indicators on which to base decision-making; and
convene regional workshops to help select key
indicators.
(b)
To identify existing
organizations and initiatives.
(c)
To promote the identification
of key habitats for marine living resources on a regional basis,
with a view to further develop policies for action to prevent
physical alteration and destruction of these habitats, and pursue
restoration of degraded habitats, including, inter alia,
coral reef systems.
(d)
To promote the establishment
or strengthening of mechanisms for research, monitoring and
assessment of marine and coastal ecosystems and their living
resources.
(e)
To promote exchange of
information and experience using the clearing-house mechanism and
other appropriate mechanisms.
(f)
To collaborate with relevant
organizations in the preparation of guidelines.
(g)
To facilitate the
establishment of a regular process under the United Nations for
global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine
environment, including socio-economic aspects, both current and
foreseeable, building on existing regional assessments.
Ways and means
The Executive Secretary should support the implementation of
activities (a) at the global level, (b), (e), (f), and (g). Parties
should implement (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) at the national level
and under regional agreements where appropriate, with regional
organizations, such as regional seas conventions and action plans,
taking a lead role on relevant activities at the regional
level.
Programme element 2: Marine and coastal living
resources
Goal: To ensure the conservation and sustainable use of
marine and coastal living resources
Operational objective 2.1: To promote
ecosystem approaches to the conservation and sustainable use of
marine and coastal living resources, including the identification
of key variables or interactions, for the purpose of assessing and
monitoring, first, components of biological diversity; second, the
sustainable use of such components; and, third, ecosystem
effects.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To develop collaborative links
with relevant organizations and institutions, including in regards
to cooperative activities aimed at protecting biodiversity in
marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.
(b)
To promote the exchange of
information and experience using appropriate mechanisms.
(c)
To promote the identification
and development of ecosystem approaches compatible with the
sustainable use of marine and coastal living resources.
(d)
To promote the identification
both of components of the ecosystems which are critical to the
functioning of the ecosystem and of key threats.
(e)
To promote capacity-building
at local, national and regional levels, including local and
traditional knowledge.
(f)
To carry out a study on the
effects of fish and invertebrate stock enhancement on marine and
coastal biological diversity at the species and genetic
levels.
(g)
To implement the 1995 Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries taking note of the relevant FAO
international plans of action and technical guidelines.
(h)
To eliminate destructive
fishing practices, and restore and maintain fisheries stocks to
sustainable levels by the year 2015, including through financial
assistance to developing countries, in particular small island
developing States, for improved enforcement, surveillance and
patrolling and recognizing the importance of use of sustainable
fishing practices, including traditional fishing
practices.
(i)
To maintain the
productivity and biodiversity of important and vulnerable marine
and coastal areas, including areas within and beyond national
jurisdiction.
(j)
To promote, in
collaboration with the Global Taxonomy Initiative, the
strengthening of taxonomic expertise at regional and national
levels.
Ways and means
The activities should be carried out by Parties acting individually
or under regional agreements where appropriate, and regional and
international organizations. The Executive Secretary will assist
Parties in implementation, and should carry out activity
(f).
Operational objective 2.2:
To make
available to the Parties information on marine genetic resources in
marine areas beyond national jurisdiction and, as appropriate, on
coastal and marine genetic resources under national jurisdiction
from publicly available information sources.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To compile and synthesize
information on the methods for the identification, assessment and
monitoring of genetic resources of the seabed and ocean floor and
subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, and
information on their status and trends including identification of
threats to such genetic resources and the technical options for
their protection and report on the progress made to
SBSTTA.
(b) To
identify activities and processes under national jurisdiction or
control which may have significant adverse impact on deep seabed
ecosystems and species beyond the limits of national jurisdiction,
in order to address Article 3 of the Convention on Biological
Diversity.
Ways and means
Activity (a) should be carried out by international organizations,
such as the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law
of the Sea, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the
InterGovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations
Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, as appropriate
with the support of the Executive Secretary. Activity (b) should be
undertaken by Parties and other States.
Operational objective 2.3:
To gather and assimilate
information on, build capacity to mitigate the effects of, and to
promote policy development, implementation strategies and actions
to address: (i) the biological and socio-economic consequences of
physical degradation and destruction of key marine and coastal
habitats including mangrove ecosystems, tropical and cold-water
coral-reef ecosystems, seamount ecosystems and seagrass ecosystems
including identification and promotion of management practices,
methodologies and policies to reduce and mitigate impacts upon
marine and coastal biological diversity and to restore mangrove
forests and rehabilitate damaged coral reef; and in particular (ii)
the impacts of mangrove forest destruction, coral bleaching and
related mortality on coral-reef ecosystems and the human
communities which depend upon coral-reef services, including
through financial and technical assistance.
Suggested
activities
(a)
Activities on coral bleaching and physical
degradation and destruction of coral reefs as adopted in decision
VI/3 and as amended in decision VII/5 are contained in appendices 1
and 2 below.
Other activities relevant to non-coral
ecosystems will be developed by Parties and, where appropriate, by
regional organizations.
Ways and means
The Executive Secretary should facilitate
implementation, through active collaboration with International
Coral Reef Initiative and its partners, the regional seas
programmes of the United Nations Environment Programme, the
InterGovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and other
relevant organizations. The other activities should be carried out
by Parties acting individually or under regional agreements and
regional and international organizations.
Operational objective
2.4: To enhance
the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity of
marine living resources in areas beyond the limits of national
jurisdiction
Suggested
activities
(a)
To identify threats to the
biological diversity in areas beyond the limits of national
jurisdiction, in particular areas with seamounts, hydrothermal
vents, and cold-water corals, and certain other underwater
features.
(b)
To urgently take the necessary
short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to eliminate/avoid
destructive practices, consistent with international law, on
scientific basis, including the application of precaution, for
example, consideration, on a case by case basis, of interim
prohibition of destructive practices adversely impacting the marine
biological diversity associated with marine areas beyond the limits
of national jurisdiction, in particular areas with seamounts,
hydrothermal vents, and cold-water corals, other vulnerable
ecosystems and certain other underwater features.
Ways and means
Activities (a) and (b) should be carried out by Parties, the
United Nations General Assembly and other relevant international
and regional organizations, within their mandate, and according to
their rules of procedure.
Programme element 3: Marine and coastal protected areas
Goal: The establishment and maintenance of
marine and coastal protected areas that are effectively managed,
ecologically based and contribute to a global network
[13]/ of marine and coastal protected areas,
building upon national and regional systems, including a range of
levels of protection, where human activities are managed,
particularly through national legislation, regional programmes and
policies, traditional and cultural practices and international
agreements, to maintain the structure and functioning of the full
range of marine and coastal ecosystems, in order to provide
benefits to both present and future generations.
Operational objective 3.1:
To establish and strengthen national and regional
systems of marine and coastal protected areasintegrated into a
global network and as a contribution to globally agreed
goals.
Suggested
activities
(a) To establish
effective marine and coastal biodiversity management frameworks as
set out in appendix 3 below, which would comprise sustainable
management practices and actions to protect biodiversity over the
wider marine and coastal environment, including integrated networks
of marine and coastal protected areas consisting of:
(i)
Marine and coastal protected areas, where threats are managed for
the purpose of biodiversity conservation and/or sustainable use and
where extractive uses may be allowed; and
(ii)
Representative marine and coastal protected areas where extractive
uses are excluded, and other significant human pressures are
removed or minimized, to enable the integrity, structure and
functioning of ecosystems to be maintained or recovered.
In establishing these frameworks,
the appropriate balance between categories (i) and (ii) above would
be selected by the country concerned.
Ways and means:
Activity (a) should be carried out by Parties acting
individually or under regional agreements and regional and
international organizations. Funding agencies should support
implementation of these activities.
Operational objective
3.2: To enhance
the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in
marine areas beyond the limits of national
jurisdiction
Suggested
activities:
(a)
To support any work of the
United Nations General Assembly in identifying appropriate
mechanisms for the future establishment and effective management of
marine protected areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Ways and means
Activity (a) should be carried out by the Executive Secretary in
support of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Operational objective 3.3:
To achieve effective management of existing
marine and coastal protected areas
Suggested
activities
(a)
To achieve effective
management of marine and coastal protected areas through good
governance, clear legal or customary frameworks to prevent damaging
activities, effective compliance and enforcement, ability to
control external activities that affect the marine and coastal
protected area, strategic planning, capacity building and
sustainable financing.
(b)
To address, through
appropriate integrated marine and coastal management approaches,
all threats, including those arising from the land (e.g. water
quality, sedimentation) and shipping/transport, in order to
maximize the effectiveness of marine and coastal protected areas
and networks in achieving their marine and coastal biodiversity
objectives taking into account possible effects of climate change
such as rising sea levels.
(c)
To facilitate relevant
stakeholder and indigenous and local community participation as an
essential component of implementing operational objective
3.3.
Ways and means
The activities should be carried out by Parties acting individually
or under regional agreements and regional and international
organizations. Funding agencies should support implementation of
these activities.
Operational objective
3.4: To provide support for and facilitate monitoring of
national and regional systems of marine and coastal protected
areas
Suggested
activities
(a)
To provide active financial,
technical and other support for the establishment of a global
system of marine and coastal protected area networks and the
implementation within it of relevant provisions contained in this
operational objective, including identification and removal of
barriers to the creation of marine and coastal protected areas, and
removal of perverse incentives for unsustainable activities in the
marine and coastal environment, pursuant to decision VI/15, on
incentive measures, within the framework of relevant marine-related
international law.
(b)
To provide and maintain, in
collaboration with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the
United Nations Environment Programme, in collaboration with
relevant organizations and authorities, up-to-date information on
marine and coastal protected areas in order to provide a basis for
assessment of progress made in implementing the operational
objective.
(c)
Promote transfer of appropriate technology and closely collaborate
with regional initiatives to fund activities, such as monitoring,
geared towards conservation and sustainable use of marine and
coastal biological diversity.
Ways and means
The activities should be carried out by Parties acting individually
or under regional agreements, and regional and international
organizations, such as the World Conservation Monitoring Centre of
the United Nations Environment Programme. The Executive Secretary
should facilitate their implementation. Funding agencies should
support implementation of the activities.
Operational objective
3.5: To facilitate research and monitoring activities that
reflect identified global knowledge gaps and priority information
needs of management of marine and coastal protected
areas.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To collaborate with relevant
organizations in the preparation of project proposals to facilitate
the implementation of the research and monitoring priorities
outlined in appendix 4 below.
(b)
To identify and implement an
appropriate mechanism for developing advice related to network
design and ecological coherence of networks.
(c)
Using the clearing-house
mechanism, to assist the exchange of information on research,
management issues and problems (including incentive measures)
between marine protected area managers, to facilitate continuous
improvement in management effectiveness across the global
network [14]/ of marine protected areas.
Ways and means
Activity (a) should be carried out by Parties acting individually
or under regional agreements and regional and international
organizations, including research organizations. The Executive
Secretary should facilitate its implementation. The Executive
Secretary should take the lead role in implementing activities (b)
and (c).
Programme element 4: Mariculture
Goal: To prevent or minimize the negative impacts of
mariculture on marine and coastal biodiversity and to enhance any
positive effects of mariculture using native species.
Operational objective 4.1: To promote
use of techniques, which minimize adverse impact of mariculture on
marine and coastal biological diversity.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To adopt the use of relevant
methods, techniques and practices for avoiding the adverse effects
of mariculture on marine and coastal biological diversity, and to
incorporate them into national biodiversity strategies and action
plans as appropriate, including:
(i)
The application of environmental impact assessments, or similar
assessment and monitoring procedures, for mariculture developments,
with due consideration paid to the scale and nature of the
operation, as well as carrying capacities of the ecosystem, taking
into account the guidelines on the integration of biodiversity
considerations in environmental impact assessment legislation
and/or processes and in strategic impact assessment, endorsed by
the Conference of the Parties in its decision VI/7 A, as
well as the recommendations endorsed in decision VI/10, annex
II, on the conduct of cultural, environmental and social impact
assessments regarding developments proposed to take place on, or
which are likely to impact on, sacred sites and on lands and waters
traditionally occupied or used by indigenous and local
communities. There is a need to address the likely immediate,
intermediate and long-term impacts on all levels of
biodiversity;
(ii)
Development of effective site-selection methods, in the framework
of integrated marine and coastal area management, taking into
account the special needs and difficulties encountered by
stakeholders in developing countries;
(iii) Development
of effective methods for effluent and waste control;
(iv) Development
of appropriate genetic resource management plans at the hatchery
level and in the breeding areas, including cryo-preservation
techniques, aimed at biodiversity conservation;
(v)
Development of controlled low-cost hatchery and genetically sound
reproduction methods, made available for widespread use, in order
to avoid seed collection from nature, where appropriate. In cases
where seed collection from nature cannot be avoided,
environmentally sound practices for spat collecting operations
should be employed;
(vi) Use of
selective fishing gear in order to avoid or minimize by-catch in
cases where seed are collected from nature;
(vii) Use of native
species and subspecies in mariculture;
(viii)Implementation of
effective measures to prevent the inadvertent release of
mariculture species and fertile polyploids, including, in the
framework of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, living modified
organisms (LMOs);
(ix) Use of proper
methods of breeding and proper places of releasing in order to
protect genetic diversity;
(x)
Minimizing the use of antibiotics through better husbandry
techniques;
(xi) Ensure that
fish stocks used for fish meal and fish oil are managed in such a
way as to be sustainable and to maintain the trophic
web;
(xii) Use selective
methods in industrial fisheries to avoid or minimize
by-catch;
(xiii) Considering
traditional knowledge, where applicable as a source to develop
sustainable mariculture techniques.
(b)
To adopt best-management
practices and legal and institutional arrangements for sustainable
mariculture, taking into account the special needs and difficulties
encountered by stakeholders in developing countries, in particular
through implementing Article 9 of Code of Conduct on Responsible
Fisheries, as well as other provisions in the Code dealing with
aquaculture, recognizing that it provides necessary guidance to
develop legislative and policy frameworks at the national, regional
and international levels.
(c)
To undertake a comprehensive
review of relevant documents on best practices relevant to
mariculture, and to disseminate the results, as well as relevant
case-studies, through the clearing-house mechanism prior to the
tenth meeting of SBSTTA.
(d)
To facilitate the
implementation of the research and monitoring priorities outlined
in appendix 5 below in collaboration with FAO and other
relevant organizations.
(e)
To undertake regional and international collaboration to address
transboundary impacts of mariculture on biodiversity, such as the
spread of disease and invasive alien species.
Ways and means
Activities (a) and (b) should be carried out by Parties acting
individually or under regional agreements, with assistance from
regional and international organizations, such as FAO, and the
Executive Secretary. The Executive Secretary should take a lead
role in carrying out activity (c). Activity (d) should
be carried out by Parties, regional and international
organizations, including research organizations. The
Executive Secretary should facilitate its undertaking. Funding
agencies should support implementation of activities (a) and
(b).
Programme element 5: Invasive alien species
Goal: To prevent the
introduction of invasive alien species into the marine and coastal
environment, and to eradicate to the extent possible those invasive
alien species that have already been introduced.
Operational objective
5.1: To achieve better
understanding of the pathways and the causes of the introduction of
alien species and the impact of such introductions on biological
diversity.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To analyse and disseminate
information, data and case-studies on the subject.
(b)
To develop collaboration with
relevant organizations.
(c)
To ensure exchange of
information and experience, using appropriate
mechanisms.
Ways and means
The Executive Secretary should take a lead role in carrying out
these activities, with assistance from international organizations
(such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the
Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP)), regional organizations
and Parties.
Operational objective
5.2: To put in place mechanisms to
control all pathways, including shipping, trade and mariculture,
for potential invasive alien species in the marine and coastal
environment.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To invite relevant
organizations such the International Maritime Organization (IMO),
the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP), the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands to work together to develop an
international cooperative initiative to address impediments to the
management of marine alien species, particularly to address
technical problems related to the identification and control of
marine invasions.
(b)
To implement measures to
address invasive alien species in ballast water, including through
the International Convention for the Control and Management of
Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments
(c)
To exchange information and
facilitate technical cooperation on effective techniques for
prevention, early detection, eradication and control of invasive
alien species in the marine and coastal environments.
(d)
To develop close collaboration
between national agencies responsible for development of controls
on pathways for entry of alien species and national input into the
work of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the
Organization internationale des epizooties (OIE), IMO and other
relevant international agreements.
(e)
To identify means to support capacity-building in developing
countries to strengthen their ability to conduct work related to
alien species.
(f)
To promote international cooperation by inviting relevant
organizations and donor agencies to collaborate in the assessment
of the effects of invasive alien species, and in the elaboration of
strategies for their control.
Ways and means
Activities (b), (c) and (d) should be carried out by Parties. The
other activities should be carried out by the Executive Secretary
and the organizations identified in activity (a) as well as
by, and in collaboration with, Parties.
Operational objective
5.3: To maintain an
incident list on introductions of alien species
Suggested
activities:
To continue making updated information on introductions of alien
species available through the clearing-house mechanism or other
appropriate mechanisms.
Ways and means
The
Executive Secretary should take a lead role in facilitating the
implementation of this activity in collaboration with relevant
international and regional organizations and the
Parties.
Programme element 6.
General
Operational objective
6.1: To assemble a database of initiatives
on programme elements through a cooperative approach with relevant
organizations and bodies, with special emphasis on integrated
marine and coastal areas management.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To identify sources of
relevant information and to make this readily available.
(b)
To request inputs from
Parties, countries and relevant organizations and
bodies.
(c)
To carry out desk evaluations
with the assistance of the roster of experts of available
information and to disseminate the findings through the
clearing-house mechanism.
Ways and means
The Executive Secretary should take a lead role in implementing
these activities.
Operational objective 6.2: To undertake
effective collaboration, cooperation and harmonization of
initiatives with relevant conventions, organizations and agencies
while recognising their independent mandates.
Suggested
activities
(a)
To identify and implement
meaningful joint activities and initiatives with relevant
conventions, organizations and agencies aimed at the implementation
of this work programme.
(b)
To collaborate with regional
seas conventions and action plans, including identification of
joint programmes of work on topics of mutual relevance, including
through regionally elaborated criteria for the establishment and
management of marine and coastal protected areas under regional
seas conventions and action plans.
Ways and means
The Executive Secretary should take a lead role in implementing
these activities, together with relevant conventions, organizations
and agencies, coordinating units of regional seas conventions and
action plans.
IV. ENABLING ACTIVITIES
(a) Provision of
assistance to coastal in particular small island developing States
in developing ocean policies and mechanisms for integrated
management.
(b)
Strengthening capacity of small island developing States, through
training and other appropriate means, to enable their effective
participation in all elements of the Convention's research
priorities on marine and coastal biodiversity, including conducting
new research and compiling information from past research on marine
and coastal biodiversity within and beyond national
jurisdiction.
(c)
Updating and strengthening
existing legislation as well as institutions dealing with marine
and coastal issues, including the effective implementation of laws
and regulations, and the strengthening and rationalization of
institutions.
(d)
Provision of assistance to
coastal in particular small island developing States in
coordinating policies and programmes at the regional and
subregional level, aimed at the conservation and sustainable
management of fishery resources and implementation of integrated
coastal area management plans, including through the promotion of
sustainable coastal and small-scale fishing activities and, where
appropriate, the development of related infrastructure.
(e)
Formation of cooperative
partnerships between countries or between international and/or
regional organizations to enhance capacity for implementation,
taking into account the special needs and difficulties experienced
by stakeholders in developing countries and by indigenous and local
communities.
(f)
Increase of scientific,
technical and technological collaboration, including integrated
assessment at the global and regional levels, including the
appropriate transfer of marine science and marine technologies and
techniques for the conservation and management of living marine
resources and expanding ocean-observing capabilities for timely
prediction and assessment of the state of the marine
environment.
(g)
Build capacity in marine
science, information and management, through, inter alia,
promoting the use of environmental impact assessments and
environmental evaluation and reporting techniques for projects or
activities that are potential harmful to the coastal and marine
environments and their living and non-living resources.
(h)
Undertaking capacity-building,
technology transfer, public education and awareness, and training
in order to improve the implementation of this programme of
work.
(i)
Urgent mobilization of
financial resources and identification of additional funding
mechanisms for implementation of this programme of work, including
provision of information about creative arrangements and tools for
financing conservation and sustainable use, and through
establishment of additional mechanisms, such as small grants
funds.
(j)
Provision of financial
and technical support by the international community including by
distant water fishing nations to developing countries in particular
small island developing States for sustainable management and use
of marine and coastal resources.
(k)
Continued review of obstacles
to implementation of each programme element leading to development
of additional enabling activities, as appropriate, aimed at
overcoming such obstacles.
(l)
To develop close
collaboration between national agencies responsible for
implementation of this programme of work and related supporting
activities.
Ways and means
The
Executive Secretary should collaborate with funding agencies,
international and regional organizations and Parties to facilitate
the implementation of these activities. Activity (b) will carried
out in collaboration with regional fisheries and research
organizations as appropriate. Funding agencies should support
implementation of activity (b).
V. TIME SCHEDULE
The elaborated programme
of work will be effective for a six year time period (2004-2010) at
which point its implementation will be reviewed in depth, and the
programme of work will be revised as necessary. Additional
elaboration of the programme of work prior to 2010 can be
undertaken through decisions of the Conference of the Parties in
response to emerging global priorities needing urgent
action.
Appendix 1
SPECIFIC WORK PLAN ON CORAL BLEACHING
The
following activities, adopted by the Conference of the Parties in
its decision VI/3 and amended by decision VII/5, would be
incorporated under operational objective 2.3 of the elaborated
programme of work. These amendments recognize the urgent need
to implement action to manage coral reefs for resistance and
resilience to, and recovery from, episodes of raised sea
temperatures and/or coral bleaching.
1.
Management
actions and strategies to support reef resilience, rehabilitation
and recovery
(a)
The identification, investigation and management of areas of
demonstrated resilience and/or resistance to raised sea-temperature
and coral-bleaching events. [15]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i)
Identification of coral-reef areas that exhibit resistance and/or
resilience to raised sea temperatures.
(ii)
Identification, development, testing and refinement of management
regimes to enhance reef resilience to and recovery from raised sea
temperatures and/or coral bleaching, through the application of,
inter alia, appropriate protective status, reduction of reef
stressors, management of reef communities, etc
Other priority actions
(iii)
Investigation of factors that
enable such resistance such as, inter alia cool currents,
cold up-wellings, genetic tolerance in certain species and
genotypes of corals to raised sea temperatures, presence and
necessary abundance of reef associated biodiversity that imbues
reef systems with resilience to raised sea temperatures and/or
coral bleaching;
(iv)
Investigation of the role(s) of sea currents, local and larger
scale, in the resistance and/or resilience of coral reefs to raised
sea temperatures and/or coral bleaching.
(b)
The recognition of the
urgent need to supplement coral reef information gathering and
monitoring schemes with focused management activities and the need
to assist, support and enable such activities:
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Establish or expand as appropriate, and begin to
implement, international support programmes to developing
countries, countries with economies in transition, and in
particular, least developed countries and small island developing
states, to support such activities;
(c)
Identify and develop pilot projects for management interventions
that promise to increase reef resilience to bleaching in both the
short and long-term and/or strengthen reef recovery
post-bleaching .[16]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i)
Explore utility and feasibility of short-term
management interventions to reduce severity of bleaching or to
facilitate recovery after bleaching;
(ii)
Instigate and support initiatives for marine
protected areas managers where resilience principles are being
actively applied and tested;
(ii)
Encourage the application of resilience
principles in coral reef areas outside marine protected
areas;
(d)
Integrate bleaching resilience principles into marine protected
areas network design of networks of marine protected areas, and
management approaches, such as improving water quality, preventing
overfishing and protecting biodiversity. [17]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Establish programmes
that provide information and resources to support understanding and
application of resilience principles into the design.
(e)
Increase
implementation of management actions, including identifying and
promoting key demonstration sites that reduce localized stressors
on reefs in order to increase reef resilience to mass
bleaching: [18]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Assist reef managers to identify, implement and justify actions
that can reduce localized stressors on reefs that will increase
reef resilience to mass bleaching.
2. Information gathering
(a)
Implement and coordinate
targeted research programmes, including predictive modelling, that
increase understanding of:
(i) The mechanisms
that cause mass coral bleaching, including:
a. Mechanisms
that lead to variation in bleaching symptoms;
b. Bleaching
thresholds for varying geographic locations and reef types for
acute and chronic increases in sea temperature;
c. Synergistic
relationships between global stressors, such as warming, increased
exposure to ultraviolet radiation and localized threats that
already place reefs at risk, such as pollution and
overfishing;
(ii) The long-term
consequences of mass coral bleaching under different warming
scenarios, including:
a. Understanding of
acclimation and adaptation potential
b. Prediction of the
frequency and extent of mass bleaching
c. Predict the impacts
of mass bleaching on ecological, social, and economic
systems.
(iii) The management
of mass coral bleaching, including:
a. Effectiveness of
short-term management interventions in promoting reef resilience to
bleaching and/or recovery after mass bleaching events.
b. Understanding of
strategies to support long-term resilience to bleaching, including
connectivity, removal of localized stressors, etc.
While many of the
information needs for the work plan will require a longer term
commitment, the work plan recognizes the need to act now to
minimize the impacts of coral bleaching through effective
management initiatives. [19]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i)
Document instances of mass bleaching, and the
impacts of coral-bleaching and coral-mortality events on social and
economic systems, and provide relevant information to the
Secretariat through the Global Coral Reef Management Network
(GCRMN).
(ii)
Compile, and disseminate through the
clearing-house mechanism, current scientific information on the
survival of reef-building corals under global warming to allow some
prediction of the adaptation and survival of the biological
diversity of coral reefs in coming decades.
(iii)
Collaborate with the Global Coral Reef
Monitoring Network to compile information on existing networks,
databases and websites which can provide up-to-date information of
the status of coral reefs and their threats; and assess the quality
of the data they contain and methodologies used for data collection
and analysis.
Other priority actions
(iv)
Strengthen networks for data collection and
dissemination of information on coral-reef status and
interpretation of long-term trends resulting from global climate
change and anthropogenic stresses to assist effective management
and conservation.
(v)
Support further targeted research programmes
that investigate:
a. The mechanisms that cause of mass bleaching
specifically, explanations for variation in bleaching patterns,
identification of bleaching thresholds, and synergistic
relationships between local threats and warming seas.
b. The impacts of coral bleaching and coral
mortality events on social and economic systems;
c.
Management options to
building reef resilience to mass bleaching on both short- and
long-time frames;
(b)
Implement and coordinate baseline assessments and long-term
monitoring to measure the biological and meteorological variables
relevant to coral bleaching, mortality and recovery, as well as the
socio-economic parameters associated with coral-reef
services. [20]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i)
Implement baseline assessments and long-term
monitoring to measure the extent and severity of coral bleaching,
mortality and recovery and identify reef areas that exhibit
resistance and/or resilience to raised sea temperatures;
(ii)
Compile information on the socio-economic
impacts of coral bleaching on communities dependent on coral
reefs;
(iii)
Widen, as necessary, the research on
socio-economic impacts of coral bleaching on communities dependent
on coral reefs;
(iv)
Identify pilot projects that establish training
programmes and survey protocols and enhance availability of expert
advice at a range of scales, including classification of scale
data;
Other priority actions
(v)
Support ongoing assessment and monitoring initiatives, such as
those of UNESCO, ICRAN, the regional seas conventions and action
plans, GCRMN, UNEP and CORDIO;
(vi)
Encourage and facilitate large-scale (ecosystem) monitoring
programs that can generate an understanding of the large scale
(both temporal and spatial) impacts of coral bleaching, with a
particular focus on the cumulative ecosystem-level impacts of
successive coral bleaching events (The WWF Global Protocol to be
released 2004 provides a framework for this);
(c)
Develop a rapid response capability to document coral bleaching and
mortality, including in developing countries and remote areas,
encompassing establishment of training programmes, survey
protocols, expert advice, and contingency funds or rapid release of
special project funding. [21]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i)
Support the
development of standardized training modules and manuals on
detection and documentation of coral-bleaching events, mortality or
recovery monitoring.
(ii)
Build capacity and
facilitate the development and implementation of
coral‑bleaching response plans, taking into account expert
guidance, by organizations responsible for managing and conserving
coral reefs;
Other priority actions
(iii)
Organize, in
conjunction with relevant agencies and organizations, annual
meetings in each region on coral-reef assessment and monitoring
methods with particular emphasis on documenting coral bleaching,
bleaching related mortality and subsequent recovery. These
should be integrated into existing programmes, where possible
(regional seas conventions and actions plans may have the best
capacity to implement these measures).
(d)
Encourage and support countries in the development and
dissemination of status-of-the-reefs reports and case-studies on
the occurrence and impacts of coral bleaching and related
mortality.[22]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Strengthen dissemination of existing assessment
and monitoring information on status of coral reefs and their
threats through existing networks (Under the ICRAN strategic plan,
this is a core role of GCRMN and ReefBase);
Other priority actions
(ii)
Include coral bleaching in existing national
biodiversity strategies and action plans under the Convention on
Biological Diversity.
(iii) Support and collaborate with GCRMN the
expansion of existing networks and initiatives at the regional and
national level conducting coral-reef status assessments and
monitoring.
(e)
Emphasize that coral bleaching can be monitored as an early warning
of the impacts of global warming on marine ecosystems and that the
collapse of coral-reef ecosystems could impact ecological processes
of the larger marine system of which coral reefs are a part, and
expand the use of early-warning systems for coral
bleaching. [23]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Recognizing that coral bleaching is a
cumulative-stress response (i.e. global warming is the most
widespread stressor, but known localized human-induced stresses
exacerbate events), develop education programmes addressing an
ecosystem approach to coral-reef management and the relation
between coral-reef health, resilience and other human-induced
stresses.
Other priority actions
(ii)
Encourage space agencies and private entities to
maintain deployment of relevant sensors and to initiate design and
deployment of specialized technology for shallow-oceans
monitoring;
(iii)
Expand the use of existing early warning systems
and support the development of Web-based early warning systems and
other means (for example, insitu temperature loggers);
(iv)
Encourage mechanisms to make accessible
high-resolution multi-spectrum imagery at low cost to coral-reef
scientists and managers worldwide with a view to those scientists
and managers that are based in developing countries;
(v)
Work with the UNEP Division of Environmental
Information, Assessment and Early Warning, GCRMN and other relevant
organizations to develop local community capacity for remote and
local level validation exercises, and training in interpretation of
weather patterns related to the onset of bleaching;
(vi)
Assist in developing and enhancing national and
regional capacities of developing coastal States, and in particular
small island developing States, on monitoring, interpretation, and
application of climatic and oceanographic data related to the onset
of bleaching.
(f)
Facilitate initiatives that develop partnerships between scientists
and managers to generate management-relevant information and
products that support local management actions in response to
global change: [24]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Support initiatives to build capacity among reef
managers to access and apply scientific information relevant to
climate change and coral bleaching;
Other priority actions
(vi)
Develop and support initiatives to foster active
working relations between scientists and managers that can increase
capacity to effectively respond to global change threats to local
reefs;
(vii)
Encourage investigations into the relationship
between coral-bleaching events and long-term meteorological
data.
3. Capacity-building:
(a)
Support training for reef managers globally on existing tools for
responding to mass bleaching events, including early warning
prediction, rapid assessment, communication, and management
interventions: [25]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i) Support activities aimed at building awareness
and capacity relating to implementation of tools for responding to
mass bleaching events.
(b)
Support the training of and career opportunities for relevant
marine taxonomists, ecologists, and members of other relevant
disciplines, particularly at the national and regional
level. [26]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i)
Develop and/or expand training opportunities for
protected area managers, fishery managers and related marine
resource managers at the national and regional levels, on resource
assessment, monitoring, user impact, ecosystem approaches to marine
and coastal resource management, surveillance and enforcement,
local community integration, and in setting and measuring the
achievement of management performance goals and
indicators;
(ii)
Encourage a network of reef management agencies
in developed and developing countries, and encourage relevant
exchange programmes between countries and/or regions involved in
coral-reef management with particular emphasis on coral bleaching,
bleaching related mortality and subsequent
recovery;
(iii)
Gather, and disseminate through the
clearing‑house mechanism, information on existing training
programmes on integrated coastal area management, best practices
and related issues to sustainable management of coral
reefs;
Other priority actions
(iv)
In recognition of the important implication of climate change for
coral reefs, encourage and facilitate greater understanding within
agencies responsible for reef management about coral bleaching and
related global change issues for coral reefs;
(v)
Encourage incorporation or support the issue of coral reefs and
bleaching in the capacity building activities of multilateral
environmental agreements (e.g. Ramsar Convention, Cartagena
Convention) and of their respective contracting parties;
(vi)
Collaborate with GCRMN and other relevant organizations to develop
standardized training modules and facilitate programs to build
capacity in detection and documentation of coral-bleaching events
and subsequent recovery, based on international Protocols and
Manager's Guides currently under development;
(vii)
Organize, in conjunction with relevant agencies and organizations,
regular meetings in each region on coral-reef assessment and
monitoring methods with particular emphasis on documenting coral
bleaching, bleaching related mortality and subsequent
recovery. These should be integrated into existing
programmes, where possible;
(viii)
Create scholarship trust funds in each region of the regional seas
programmes to provide scholarships at graduate/postgraduate level
for studies on coral-reef conservation and management, giving
special consideration to small island developing States;
(ix)
Promote the inclusion in national reports under the regional seas
conventions, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change a section for
reporting of ecological and socio-economic impacts of
coral-bleaching events.
(c)
Encourage and support
multidisciplinary approaches to coral-reef research, monitoring,
socio-economics and management. [27]/
Highest priority action for
implementation
(i)
Support ICRI and GCRMN activities that encourage
and support multidisciplinary approaches to coral-reef research,
monitoring, socio-economics and management;
(d)
Build stakeholder partnerships, community participation programmes,
and public‑education campaigns and information products that
address the causes and consequences of coral
bleaching. [28]/
Other priority actions
(i)
Bridge the gap between global and local action through the creation
of national and sub-regional coral-reef initiatives. (see ICRI and
the International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium
on Building the Foundation of New ICRI Action).
(ii)
Collaborate with relevant organizations to
compile and disseminate relevant information from status-of-reefs
reports, Reefs at Risk, etc., and examples of effective
practical materials for general public, the media, private sector
and policy makers.
(iii)
Collaborate with relevant organizations to
develop educational programmes on the relationship between coral
reefs and larger marine systems (e.g. impacts of coral-reef loss on
fisheries, local communities etc).
4.
Policy development / implementation
(a)
Use existing policy frameworks to implement the multiple
conservation measures outlined in the Renewed Call to Action of the
International Coral Reef Initiative, and develop and implement
comprehensive local-to-national-scale integrated marine and coastal
area management plans that supplement marine protected
areas: [29]/
Other priority actions
(i)
Integrate in existing policies at the regional and national levels
the priority issues identified by ICRI and the International
Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium
(ITMEMS);
(ii)
Assess relevant actions of existing policy frameworks and how these
are directly addressing the integrated marine and coastal areas
management, in particular coral-reef issues;
(iii)
Make use of the regional seas programmes and other regional agreements
(i.e. shipping, fisheries, trade and land-based sources of marine
pollution) as vehicles to develop and implement policies related to
coral-reef management and protection;
(iv)
Identify and institute additional and alternative measures for
securing the livelihoods of people who directly depend on
coral-reef services: [30]/
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(v)
Support and expand existing projects that assess the impacts of
coral bleaching on communities dependent on coral reefs, such as
the CORDIO project in the Indian
Ocean.
(vi)
Develop pilot projects for transitioning dependent communities to
alternative and sustainable livelihoods.
(b)
Initiate efforts to develop joint actions, including between
national focal points, among the Convention on Biological
Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change, and the Convention on Wetlands to:
(i)
Develop approaches for assessing the
vulnerability of coral-reef species to global warming;
(ii)
Build capacity for predicting, monitoring and
managing the impacts of coral bleaching and related
mortality;
(iii)
Identify approaches for developing response
measures to coral bleaching;
(iv)
Provide guidance to financial institutions,
including the Global Environment Facility (GEF), to support such
activities.; [31]/
Other priority actions
(v)
Promote and implement joint work plans with other relevant
agreements, organizations and initiatives, including the Commission
on Sustainable Development, FAO, regional seas conventions and
action plans, regional trade and economic organizations, the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the
Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based
Activities, ICRI and the Man and Biosphere Programme.
In particular, assess and coordinate activities that have been
agreed within multilateral environmental agreements about coral
reefs;
(vi)
Gather the outputs of the Caribbean GEF project on climate change
adaptation (CPACC project) as a contribution to activities (i)-(iv)
above, and disseminate relevant findings through the clearing-house
mechanism and other mechanisms;
(vii)
Further development of response measures to coral bleaching and
potential guidance to financial institutions, including the GEF may
be needed;
(viii)
Develop, through a transparent consultative process, a list of
international research priorities to support reef management
information needs and to guide funding institutions.
(c)
Encourage FAO and regional fisheries organizations to develop and
implement measures to assess and mitigate the impacts of
sea-surface temperature rise on fisheries:
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i) Establish no-fishing zones and limitations on
fishing gear to protect breeding grounds and provide fish with
refuges as well as increase reef resilience;
(ii) Enforce legislation prohibiting destructive
fishing practices that further damage coral-reef ecosystems and
reduce reef resilience;
Other priority actions
(iii) Encourage investigations of potentially
deleterious effects of changes in oceanographic patterns and
resulting impacts on target fish stocks resulting from sea-surface
temperature rise;
(iv) In collaboration with FAO, investigate
strategies for management of coral-reef fisheries that are
demonstrably sustainable with respect to fished stocks and the
ecosystems that produce them.
5. Financing:
(a)
Mobilize international programmes and mechanisms for financial and
technical development assistance, as well as national and private
sources to support implementation:
Highest priority actions for
implementation
(i) Identify financial and technical assistance for
the implementation of this work program.
(ii) Identify financial and technical assistance
mechanisms of national and private sources to assistance
communities impacted by coral bleaching.
Other priority actions
(iii) Promote programmes that identify the
relationships among financial and technical development assistance
and environmental project funding.
Appendix 2
ELEMENTS OF A
WORK PLAN ON PHYSICAL DEGRADATION AND DESTRUCTION OF CORAL REEFS,
INCLUDING COLD WATER CORALS
1.
Assessments and indicators. To provide a comprehensive
analysis of the status and trends of global coral-reef ecosystems,
including determination of indicators for continued monitoring and
determination of ecological and socio-economic impacts of
coral-reef degradation and destruction;
2.
Management. To identify management practices,
technologies and policies that promote the conservation and
sustainable use of coral-reef ecosystems and their associated
marine biological diversity, with a view to addressing recognized
threats (i.e., overfishing, coastal development, destructive
fishing practices, land-based pollution, marine-based pollution and
recreational use) and identifying sustainable management
approaches;
3.
Capacity-building. To strengthen the capacities of
Parties, regions, local communities and other stakeholders, to
manage sustainably coral-reef ecosystems and their associated
marine biological diversity so as to maintain their ecosystem
benefits and to promote awareness and responsible action to prevent
and mitigate physical degradation and destruction of coral reefs
and its effects on marine biological diversity;
4.
Financing. To recognize and promote existing
programmes and mobilize further mechanisms for financial and
technical development assistance to support implementation of
activities addressing the physical degradation and destruction of
coral reefs;
5.
Education and public awareness. To educate and inform
the public, policy makers and other stakeholders of ecological and
socio-economic values of coral-reef ecosystems and the importance
of an ecosystem approach towards their conservation and sustainable
management.
Appendix
3
ELEMENTS OF A
MARINE AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
A.
Purpose of the framework
1. The
overall marine and coastal biodiversity management framework should
fulfil the three objectives of the Convention, namely the
conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its
components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits, arising
out of the utilization of genetic resources.
2. The
framework would play a precautionary approach role to help halt
losses in biodiversity and encourage recovery, notwithstanding our
imperfect knowledge of the marine environment.
3. The
framework should address all elements of biodiversity, as reflected
in Annex I to the Convention, including the genetic, species and
ecosystem levels.
4.
Marine ecosystems include both benthic and pelagic elements.
Most species have a mobile stage in their life cycle. As a
consequence, marine systems are considered open and dispersing
larvae can link distant marine, coastal and inland water
habitats. This means that connectivity issues are significant
in designing a marine biodiversity management framework, and one
marine and coastal protected area will not be able to protect all
the biodiversity within the area. A network approach is
therefore essential. The network should be at an appropriate
scale, which may in some cases require a regional approach.
That regional approach should address proportionality issues on a
regional rather than a national scale, for example when one or a
handful of countries possess most or all of a particular habitat
type or the world population of a particular species.
B.
Elements of the framework
5. An
effective marine and coastal biodiversity management framework
would comprise sustainable management practices and actions to
protect biodiversity over the wider marine and coastal environment,
including integrated networks of marine and coastal protected areas
consisting of:
(a) Marine and coastal
protected areas, where threats are managed for the purpose of
biodiversity conservation and/or sustainable use and where
extractive uses may be allowed; and
(b) Representative marine and
coastal protected areas where extractive uses are excluded, and
other significant human pressures are removed or minimized, to
enable the integrity, structure and functioning of ecosystems to be
maintained or recovered.
6. The
balance between category (a) and (b) marine and coastal protected
areas in paragraph 5 above would be selected by the country
concerned.
7.
This framework should respect national legislation and also respect
the interests of indigenous and local communities, such as
spiritual and cultural practices and socio-economic interests and,
as appropriate, opportunities for the participation of indigenous
and local communities in the establishment and management of marine
and coastal protected areas, and in accordance with Article 8(j)
and related provisions should respect, preserve and maintain
traditional knowledge, innovations and practices.
C.
Marine and coastal protected areas where extractive uses are
permitted
8.
Marine and coastal protected areas where extractive uses are
permitted would contain areas that are subject to site-specific
controls that have an explicit biodiversity objective or recognized
biodiversity effect. Those controls may also have other
objectives (e.g., economic or social objectives). In many countries
these may comprise the majority of areas within networks of marine
and coastal protected areas and deliver most biodiversity benefits.
Examples of such controls include controls on fishing methods
(e.g., restricting bottom trawling), controls on the removal of
certain species (e.g., habitat forming species), rotational
closures, and controls on pollution and sedimentation.
9.
Amongst the roles for these areas may be to maintain connectivity
across the overall network, protect life cycle stages (e.g. as a
result of spawning behaviour), and buffer the representative areas
where extractive uses have been excluded.
D.
Representative areas from which extraction is excluded
10. Such
representative areas would be managed to maintain their integrity,
structure, functioning, resilience and persistence, or to take
restorative or rehabilitative steps for biodiversity. They
would encompass a full range of marine and coastal ecosystems
(including those that are also unique or special), and be protected
from human impacts and the effects of alien species. The key
purpose of these areas would be to provide for intrinsic values, to
allow us to better understand the marine and coastal environment by
acting as scientific reference areas, to contribute towards marine
environmental recovery, and to act as insurance against failures in
management. But they will also contribute to other
objectives, including socio-economic well-being, sustainable use of
fisheries in adjacent areas, and public enjoyment.
11. They
should be representative of all marine and coastal ecosystems and
should attempt to cover centers of endemism. They should
contain sufficient area and replicates to ensure that they can
fulfil their objectives and be ecologically viable over time.
Although the application of criteria for representativeness in the
marine environment is a complex issue, experience in terrestrial
protected area work, the work on marine and coastal protected areas
to date, and the literature all indicate that the
'representative' concept will not be provided by a few
small marine and coastal protected areas.
12.
Protection from human impacts would mean that extraction of
indigenous biota would be prevented except to the extent necessary
to allow essential scientific research and education (i.e., these
would be no-take reserves applying to the area or to a specified
element of the ecosystem), but also that other practices which
significantly impact on biodiversity (e.g. substrate alteration,
changes in sediment movements, pollution, visitor disturbance of
sensitive species) would be prevented or minimized.
13. These
marine and coastal protected areas would be permanent, subject to
any necessary changes to allow them to better achieve their
objectives, taking into account natural dynamics. They would
need to be viable, in the face of changing threats and long-term
environmental change (e.g. climate change). Viability might
depend on matters such as the nature of the legal protection, the
presence of replicates, the design of the individual marine and
coastal protected areas, and the connectivity between marine and
coastal protected areas (directly or using other marine and coastal
protected areas as stepping stones).
14. Although
public access may be encouraged in order to generate educational
and enjoyment benefits, these benefits would be treated as
secondary to the primary purposes listed above. Public access
may need to be controlled to prevent unacceptable
impacts.
15. Areas
would need to be geographically dispersed across biogeographic
regions and would need to be ecosystem-based, rather than focus on
single species.
E.
Sustainable management of the wider environment
16. The
marine and coastal protected areas network would be sitting within
a framework of sustainable‑management practices over the
wider marine and coastal environment.
17.
Sustainable management practices over the wider marine and coastal
environment could include general restrictions that would apply to
the entire area (e.g., bans on certain destructive fishing
methods), and site-specific restrictions imposed for
non-biodiversity purposes (e.g., trawling restrictions to protect
cables, restricted areas for defence purposes). These
practices can contribute to biodiversity protection in a number of
ways, including:
(a) The
management of more widespread issues that pose a threat to the
effectiveness of individual marine and coastal protected areas, and
ultimately, the aim of regional networks. These threats
usually arise from land-based sources, and include issues such as
water quality, sedimentation and shipping/transport;
(b)
Providing direct benefits to biodiversity (e.g. restrictions on
trawling to prevent cable damage can also protect sensitive
biodiversity such as corals and sponges);
(c)
Protecting wide-ranging marine and coastal biodiversity species
which are difficult to address through site-specific measures (e.g.
restrictions on fishing practices that cause a by-catch of species
such as albatross, marine mammals and turtles); and
(d) Reducing
impacts on the connections between marine and coastal protected
areas, e.g., by allowing the movement of larvae and wide ranging
species between marine and coastal protected areas.
F.
International support for creation and management of networks of
marine and coastal protected areas
18.
There are a large number of
identified impediments to the creation and management of marine and
coastal protected areas at the national level. There are a
number of ways in which the international community can help to
overcome these impediments. In particular, it can:
(a) Provide
active financial, technical and other support for marine and
coastal protected areas work; and
(b) Help to
identify and remove both the barriers to the creation of marine and
coastal protected areas, and perverse incentives for unsustainable
activities in the marine and coastal environment.
Appendix 4
RESEARCH PRIORITIES, INCLUDING REASEARCH AND MONITORING
PROJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRAMME ELEMENT 3: MARINE AND COSTAL AREAS
The following research
priorities and pilot projects are designed to both explore and
enhance the linkages between marine and coastal protected areas and
the sustainable use of marine and coastal living resources.
Achieving the goal of sustainable use of living resources is
dependent on the social, economic and cultural context of each
marine and coastal protected area, and therefore a number of the
research priorities focus on this aspect of marine and coastal
protected areas. The effects of marine and coastal protected
areas on population size and dynamics are investigated through
priority 2.1 (connectivity and proportionality), priority 2.3 (d)
(climate change), priority 3.1 (size and location of marine and
coastal protected areas vs. species & habitat dynamics), and
priority 3.6 (b) (percentage of protection required vs.
size and dynamics of local population).
A.
Establishing a global network [32]/ of marine and coastal protected areas
Priority 1.1: Developing
and implementing national, regional and global strategies towards
establishing networks of marine and coastal protected
areas.
Pilot project:
(a) Parties,
regional bodies and relevant organizations to bring to the
attention of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological
Diversity existing and planned initiatives towards the development
of networks of marine and coastal protected areas.
(b) Draft
action-oriented strategies for establishing marine and coastal
protected areas networks, and implement those strategies in line
with regional initiatives, for example by holding regional
workshops.
B.
Inventory and assessment of marine and coastal protected areas and
the global system
Priority 2.1: Assessing
the representativeness, connectivity and proportionality of the
existing marine and coastal protected areas system.
Pilot projects:
(a)
Undertake initiatives to map ecosystems and habitats within regions
and biogeographic areas, and determine the minimum level of broad
habitat categories required for assessing representativeness of
marine and coastal protected areas networks. Use this as a
basis for assessing representativeness of the existing marine and
coastal protected areas network. This work should use a
high-level framework that is compatible with the basis for global
inventory work. One possible approach to this work is to hold
regional workshops.
(b) Assess
connectivity to determine bioregions, and apply this information
for evaluation of the existing marine and coastal protected areas
network, as well as for identifying priority areas for the
future.
(c) Assess
the effectiveness of the current marine and coastal protected areas
network regionally and globally for the conservation and
sustainable use of migratory species.
Priority 2.2: Developing appropriate databases at the
national level to allow for an assessment of marine and coastal
protected areas frameworks on a larger (regional/global) scale.
Using these data to identify patterns among marine and coastal
protected areas to generate priority needs for future research and
approaches for adaptive management.
Pilot projects:
(a)Develop
the high-level framework for the global inventory (see annex IV
below), and related advice to national managers on national
inventories.
(b) Develop
national databases for assessment of selected existing
national/regional networks, selecting examples from the range of
political, economic and biogeographic situations.
(c)
Undertake a global review of the current state of knowledge of
marine and coastal protected areas by region. Provide output in a
format understandable for managers and policy makers.
(d)
Compiling information that illustrates the values, benefits and
unique contributions of marine and coastal biodiversity, inter
alia, breeding, migration patterns of marine species, and
spawning sites.
Priority
2.3: Identifying the best
indicators for assessing management effectiveness at various scales
within an overall system.
Pilot projects:
(a) Develop
and test a suite of effective assessment measures, including
indicators, on a number of existing sites (biological,
socio-economic and governance-based indicators). Selected pilot
sites must cover the range of cold, temperate and tropical
regions.
(b) Develop
methods for evaluating the effectiveness of entire networks of
marine and coastal protected areas.
(c) Develop
methods for adapting marine and coastal protected areas management
in response to possible changing species and habitat distribution
patterns, which may result from climate change.
C.
Implementation of marine and coastal protected areas
networks
Priority 3.1: Develop
methods to manage conflicts and generate support for adequate
protection of biodiversity through area-specific
approaches.
Pilot
project:
(a) Evaluate
the long-term benefits (for example species changes, habitat
changes and ecosystem changes) of protecting
large-enough/significant-enough critical habitats and ecosystems,
by developing case‑studies.
Priority 3.2:
Establishing criteria for choosing marine and coastal protected
areas in countries that lack such criteria.
Pilot project:
(a) Provide
a conceptual model and best practice examples of criteria for
selecting marine and coastal protected areas, by undertaking linked
work in a small number of selected countries.
Priority 3.3: Enhancing
social and economic effects of marine and coastal protected areas,
particularly in terms of poverty alleviation.
Pilot projects:
(a)
Development of culturally sensitive marine and coastal protected
areas development/management approaches to achieve effective
participation, as appropriate, of indigenous and local communities
and relevant stakeholders.
(b) Develop
adaptive approaches to marine and coastal protected areas
establishment and management. This could be done by
collection and dissemination of case studies of both best and
worst-case examples of the degree to which an understanding of how
target communities operate (socially/culturally) and "do
business" can affect the success of the establishment and
management of marine and coastal protected areas.
Priority 3.4: Developing
effective "learning networks"-networking among
marine and coastal protected areas at the national/international
level. Develop and test such networks in a representative
range of test countries/regions.
Pilot projects:
(a) Develop
networks of communities/stakeholders to enable them to share and
learn from experiences.
(b) Compile
information on existing learning networks, and develop guidance for
the operation of such networks based on these
experiences.
Priority
3.5: Developing effective methods for
integrating traditional knowledge into the establishment and
management of marine and coastal protected areas.
Pilot project:
(a) Develop
guidelines for integration of traditional knowledge, practices and
innovation, with the participation of indigenous and local
communities and with their prior informed consent in accordance
with national legislation, into marine and coastal protected areas
establishment and management, and support these by compiling and
disseminating case‑studies on a wide range of examples from
places where such initiatives have been undertaken (for example,
New Zealand, Chile, the Wider Caribbean).
Priority
3.6: Developing strategies for
integrating marine and coastal protected areas and network
development into long-term national and regional
planning.
Pilot projects:
(a)
Develop strategies based on
past experience and future needs for the range of geographical
regions.
(b)
Develop methods for estimating
the percentage of non-extractive protection required, in
conjunction with national monitoring programmes, depending on the
size and dynamics of local populations.
(c)
Incorporate considerations of
sedimentation and water quality into planning and management
processes.
Appendix
5
Research and
monitoring priorities associated with Programme Element 4:
Mariculture
At the present time there
is insufficient information available about the effects of
mariculture on biodiversity and its mitigation. Therefore,
additional efforts, including through the use of the knowledge,
innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities as
appropriate, should be developed in the following areas:
(a)
General research needs:
(i)
Development of research programmes to support
establishment of efficient monitoring programmes to monitor impacts
of mariculture on marine and coastal biological
diversity;
(ii)
Development of criteria for judging the
seriousness of biodiversity effects of mariculture;
(iii)
Subsequent establishment of monitoring
programmes to detect effects of mariculture
biodiversity;
(iv)
Research on the impact of escaped mariculture
species on biodiversity;
(v)
Development of criteria for when environmental
impact assessments are required, and for the application of
environmental impact assessments at all levels of biodiversity
(genes, species, ecosystems), in the context of the guidelines
endorsed by the Conference of the Parties in
decision VI/7 A and the recommendations endorsed in
decision VI/10, annex II;
(vi)
Noting that the FAO glossary of terms is skewed
towards marine capture fisheries, expansion of this glossary with
regard to its terminology related to aquaculture;
(vii)
Reinforcement of global assessments of marine
and coastal biological diversity;
(b) Research related to impacts of
mariculture on genetic diversity:
(i)
Development of genetic resource management plans
for broodstock;
(ii)
Research aimed at understanding genetic effects
of biotechnology developments in aquaculture;
(iii)
Research aimed at understanding genetic
structure of both the farmed and wild populations,
including:
a.
Effects of genetic pollution from farmed
populations on wild populations;
b.
Maintenance of genetic viability of farmed
populations;
c.
Studies of (genetics of) wild populations as
potential new candidates for mariculture;
(c)
Research related to impacts of mariculture on species
diversity:
(i)
Support for basic global-scale taxonomic
studies, possibly in conjunction with the Global Taxonomy
Initiative (GTI);
(ii)
Support for studies aimed at development of
responsible aquaculture using native species, including through
consideration of traditional knowledge;
(iii)
Development of methods and techniques for
limiting by-catch of seed collection;
(d)
Research related to impacts of mariculture on ecosystem
diversity:
(i)
Research on carrying capacity and carrying
capacity models for planning aquaculture, especially stocking
rates;
(ii)
Comprehensive studies to quantitatively and
qualitatively assess effects of mariculture on biodiversity for
various aquatic ecosystems, selected by their sensitiveness
degree;
(iii)
Research on the competitive nature imposed on
marine fisheries by capture and culture fisheries;
(iv)
Studies aimed at improved understanding of the
effects of inputs, such as chemicals, hormones, antibiotics and
feeds on biodiversity;
(v)
Research on the impact of diseases in cultured
and wild species on biodiversity;
(e)
Research related to socio-economics, culture, policy and
legislation:
(i)
Comparative studies on legislation, economic and
financial mechanisms for regulating mariculture
activity;
(ii)
Development of quantitative and qualitative
criteria to assess mariculture impacts on the environment,
including cultural and social impacts, as outlined in the
recommendations contained in decision VI/10, annex II;
(f)
Monitoring programmes:
(i)
Support for mariculture-related disease
monitoring programmes at the global level;
(ii)
Support for the transfer of biotechnological
diagnostic tools for wide use;
(iii)
Update of taxonomic database including genetic
diversity at the intra-specific level.
Annex
II
GUIDANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A NATIONAL MARINE AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT
FRAMEWORK [33]/
1. For
countries with no marine and coastal protected areas or no highly
protected marine and coastal protected areas, the first step should
be to develop the first few marine and coastal protected areas, and
the necessary mechanisms to allow future marine and coastal
protected areas and networks to be developed. The goals
and objectives of each marine and coastal protected areas should be
clearly established when they are created.
2. A
strategic planning approach should be adopted at the national and
regional levels when developing an ecologically viable framework
for the development of marine and coastal protected areas.
This should be based on past experiences in effective management,
large-scale factors affecting the viability and long-term goals of
marine and coastal protected areas.
3.
Management should focus on ensuring that each marine and coastal
protected areas, and the network, are fulfilling the identified
goals and objectives. This will require evaluation of
effectiveness, and adaptive management over time.
4. Key
factors for achieving effective management of marine and coastal
protected areas include good governance, clear legal or customary
frameworks to prevent damaging activities, effective compliance and
enforcement, ability to control external activities that affect the
marine and coastal protected areas, strategic planning, and
sustainable financing.
5.
Good governance will depend on having one or more bodies, each with
the authority and capacity to undertake their responsibilities.
When there is more than one body, including, in the case of
transboundary areas, bodies in different countries, mechanisms for
coordinating and integrating management will be vital.
6. The
legal or customary framework should clearly identify:
(a)
Prohibited activities that will be contrary to the objectives of
the marine and coastal protected areas;
(b) Those
activities which will be allowed with clear restrictions or
conditions to ensure that they will not be contrary to the
objectives; and
(c) A
decision-making process for all other activities.
7.
Minimizing the number of discretionary activities is desirable in
order to minimize potential harmful impacts in the marine and
coastal protected areas.
8.
Effective enforcement will depend on:
(a) Adequate
enforcement capacity, including clear responsibilities,
inter-agency coordination, trained and equipped personnel and the
necessary legal or customary powers;
(b)
Appropriate penalties and associated legal provisions;
and
(c)
Integration between enforcement, voluntary compliance and
management.
9.
Governments should be encouraged to urgently address, through
appropriate integrated marine and coastal management approaches,
all threats, including those arising from the land (e.g., water
quality, sedimentation and marine debris), and shipping/transport
in order to maximize the effectiveness of marine and coastal
protected areas and the network in achieving their objectives for
marine and coastal biodiversity.
10. The Ad
Hoc Technical Expert Group identified stakeholder participation as
essential for achieving the global goal and for the establishment
and maintenance of individual marine and coastal protected areas
and regional networks. Stakeholder participation would be
particularly important in establishing equitable sharing of
benefits accruing from creation of marine and coastal protected
areas. In addition, stakeholder participation
would:
(a) Allow
decisions to be made in an inclusive and transparent
way;
(b)
Facilitate the involvement in decision-making and management of a
wide range of players, increasing the likelihood of
success;
(c)
Recognize traditional rights and customs, and other interests of
indigenous and local communities and other relevant stakeholders in
accordance with national law as appropriate; and
(d) Allow
decisions and management to be undertaken at the appropriate level
(e.g., through decentralization).
11. It was
recognized that the type and extent of participation will depend on
local circumstances, including issues such as the traditional
rights, customs and traditions of indigenous and local communities
in accordance with national law, available mechanisms and
governance approaches, and the degree of interest of
stakeholders.
Annex III
IMPROVEMENT OF
AVAILABLE DATA FOR ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS TOWARDS THE GLOBAL
GOAL
1.
Since 1981, UNEP-WCMC has developed and maintained a global
database on protected areas. The importance of this database, which
is managed in collaboration with the IUCN World Commission on
Protected Areas, has been broadly recognized. Within the database
is a subset of clearly identified marine and coastal protected
areas.
2.
The Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group examined available information,
consulted UNEP-WCMC (and indirectly WWF-International), and
concluded that global data on marine and coastal protected areas
should be improved and/or gathered in the following critical
categories:
(a)
Location (physical coordinates and country or political
unit, including the names of neighbouring country/countries where
the marine and coastal protected
areas is transboundary);
(b) Total
size of the protected area, the relative size of the marine and
coastal component and, where transboundary, the total area under
country jurisdiction;
(c)
Temporal aspects e.g. permanency or seasonality of
protection or management;
(d) Type
of protection and management proposed or being implemented,
using a simple three-tier system:
(i)
Representative highly-protected areas where extractive uses are
excluded;
(ii)
Additional marine and coastal protected areas;
(iii)
Sustainable-management practice in the wider coastal and marine
environment;
(e)
Effectiveness of protection and management gauged against
the regime being proposed or being implemented, using a simple
three-tier system:
(i)
Currently fully effective - no significant problems
known;
(ii)
Currently partially effective - some deficiencies;
(iii) Currently
ineffective - significant implementation problems;
(f)
Nationally-designated names for type of protection and
management e.g. marine park, marine and coastal nature reserve,
etc.
(g)
Habitats protected and managed (3D not just
benthic);
(h)
Species protected and managed (3D not just
benthic);
(i)
Habitats and species specifically excluded from
protection/management within the marine and coastal protected
area (i.e. that have no legal protection);
(j)
Nature of threats to habitats/species - see table
1;
(k) Name
and contact details of person(s) providing the above
information and date on which this was done.
3.
These data categories are a core set, which would provide the key
information needed to evaluate progress, and success. They consist
of sufficiently few categories to make data collection rapid, easy
and hopefully achievable. They would not only underpin the actions
of the Convention in the marine and coastal environments but are
also considered to be of value to the wider conservation community
at global, regional and national levels.
4. The
collection of information on habitats being protected and managed
would need to be structured from a standard list. This would
speed up and standardize data collection. This would need to
consist of no more than 15 categories and would need to take a very
high level approach. Such an approach needs to be developed
but could use terms such as "coral, sea grass, mangrove,
estuary, seamounts, etc." A similar approach would need to be
taken over high-level categories to collect information on threats.
Some first thoughts on such categories are provided in table 1
below. In both cases, a decision at the time of data collection
would need to be made on which categories were relevant. Whilst
this may cause difficulty on occasions, 'fitting' a
site into this proposed management framework, any errors would be
insignificant at the network, regional and global
scales.
5.
Data in other fields currently held within the world database on
protected area of proven value to a wider audience, such as the
IUCN management categories and GIS boundary data, could also be
gathered but are not considered to be as important. IUCN
category information will be collected for all sites on the United
Nations list and so could be integrated into the above
"global" categories.
6. It
is also important, in the context of the Convention on Biological
Diversity, that additional contextual information be gathered for
each signatory country on the nature of their marine and coastal
environments. This would provide benchmarks against which data
return would be analysed, progress tracked and future Convention
policy determined. This information should include:
(a) Total
area of seas under country jurisdiction in km2 in
accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea, and the criteria against which this measurement was made (e.g.
high water to seaward limit of jurisdiction, low water to seaward
limit); and
(b)
Habitat and species inventories. In order to assess
whether adequate action is being taken, habitat and species
inventories to establish global extent and distribution will be
required.
7. The
former would enable coverage of the marine and coastal protected
area network being established under the Convention on Biological
Diversity at local, regional and global scales to be tracked,
whilst the latter would provide a reference point against which to
set future priorities for action under the Convention to address
deficiencies. Both are essential for assessing achievement of the
proposed global goal.
8.
UNEP-WCMC and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA),
working in collaboration with UNEP regional seas offices and other
relevant bodies, provide a vehicle by which such a consolidation
and updating of global data on marine and coastal protected areas
could be achieved. The United States National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration currently chairs the marine and coastal
protected areas marine programme, and is interested in using its
resources and experience of marine and coastal issues to help
develop the information base for making decisions on marine and
coastal protected areas.
9. The
advent of Internet-based tools will greatly ease data-gathering and
increase the accessibility of the information and its analysis to
advise on local, regional and global progress and trends.
Internet-based initiatives, and the predominate use of drop-down
menus when gathering data from managers and practitioners, will
also reduce data entry time and provide major advantages for the
consistency and coherency, and ultimately reliability, of the
dataset that needs to be gathered.
Table
1.
Examples of six
possible high-level categories that could be used globally to
structure collection of information on the nature of the principal
threats to habitats/species within marine and coastal protected
areas*
|
High level
category
|
Sub-categories
|
|
Physical
loss
|
- Removal (e.g.
harvesting, draining to create dry land)
- Smothering
(e.g. by artificial structures, disposal of dredge
spoil)
|
|
Physical
damage
|
- Siltation
(e.g. run-off, dredging, outfalls)
- Abrasion
(e.g. boating, anchoring, trampling)
- Selective
extraction (e.g. aggregate dredging, entanglement, turf
cutting)
|
|
Non-physical
disturbance
|
- Noise (e.g.
boat activity)
- Visual (e.g.
recreational activity)
|
|
Toxic
contamination
|
- Introduction
of synthetic compounds (e.g. pesticides, antifoulants,
PCBs)
- Introduction
of non-synthetic compounds (e.g. heavy metals,
hydrocarbons)
- Introduction
of radio nuclides
|
|
Non-toxic contamination
|
- Nutrient
enrichment (e.g. agricultural run-off, outfalls)
- Organic
enrichment (e.g. mariculture, outfalls)
- Changes in
thermal regime (e.g. outfalls, power stations)
- Changes in
turbidity (e.g. run-off, dredging)
- Changes in
salinity (e.g. water abstraction, outfalls)
|
|
Biological
disturbance
|
- Introduction
of microbial pathogens
- Introduction
of non-native species and translocations
- Selective
extraction of species (e.g. bait collection, wildfowling,
commercial & recreational fishing)
|
* Note: one marine and coastal
protected area could qualify for a number of high-level
categories.
[11]/
The Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group adopted the following definition
of "marine and coastal protected area", which
incorporates all of the IUCN categories of protected
areas:
"Marine and
coastal protected area' means any defined area within or
adjacent to the marine environment, together with its overlying
waters and associated flora, fauna and historical and cultural
features, which has been reserved by legislation or other effective
means, including custom, with the effect that its marine and/or
coastal biodiversity enjoys a higher level of protection that is
surroundings.
"Areas within the
marine environment include permanent shallow marine waters; sea
bays; straits; lagoons; estuaries; subtidal aquatic beds (kelp
beds, seagrass beds; tropical marine meadows); coral reefs;
intertidal muds; sand or salt flats and marshes; deep-water coral
reefs; deep-water vents; and open ocean habitats."
[12]/
A global network provides for the connections between
Parties, with the collaboration of others, for the exchange of
ideas and experiences, scientific and technical cooperation,
capacity building and cooperative action that mutually support
national and regional systems of protected areas which collectively
contribute to the achievement of the programme of work. This
network has no authority or mandate over national or regional
systems.
[13]/
A global network provides for the connections
between Parties, with the collaboration of others, for the exchange
of ideas and experiences, scientific and technical cooperation,
capacity building and cooperative action that mutually support
national and regional systems of protected areas which collectively
contribute to the achievement of the programme of work. This
network has no authority or mandate over national or regional
systems.
[14]/
A global network provides for the connections between
Parties, with the collaboration of others, for the exchange of
ideas and experiences, scientific and technical cooperation,
capacity building and cooperative action that mutually support
national and regional systems of protected areas which collectively
contribute to the achievement of the programme of work. This
network has no authority or mandate over national or regional
systems.
[15]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
Areas exhibiting resistance to raised sea temperatures and/or high
resilience to coral bleaching have been identified, for example in
the Indian
Ocean, through
coral reef monitoring programmes.
(ii)
Management regimes to enhance post-bleaching coral recruitment in
key areas have been tested, for example with regard to control of
coral-grazing species
(iii)
A users manual for building resistance and resilience to climate
change in natural systems, entitled "Buying time" was
launched at the World Parks Congress, and is being tested in
tropical marine ecosystems.
[16]/
Ongoing initiatives
The Nature Conservancy
Reef Resilience Program is launching a programme aimed at
establishing pilot projects that will test the application of
resilience principles in coral reef MPAs.
(ii)
The benefits of reducing fishing pressure during post-bleaching
recovery of damaged coral reefs are being experimentally evaluated
in .
[17]/
Ongoing initiatives
The Nature Conservancy
Reef Resilience Toolkit provides guidance for MPA managers to
integrate bleaching resilience principles into MPA design and
management.
(ii)
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has included
resilience principles among the major considerations informing the
recent rezoning process for the entire Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
[18]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
The United States Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) has implemented a
program of Local Action Strategies to guide and support local
management actions that reduce localise stressors on
reefs.
(ii)
The GBRMPA is implementing a range of management initiatives within
a framework designed to reduce local stressors and therefore
improve reef resilience to climate change. Key actions have
included a program to reduce land-based sources of pollution (Great
Barrier Reef water quality protection plan) and a full revision of
marine park zoning to improve biodiversity protection
(representative areas programme).
[19]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
The Ad Hoc Study Group on Indicators of Coral Bleaching and
Subsequent Effects was established September 2000 under the
auspices of IOC/UNESCO with three major objectives: to develop
possible molecular, cellular, physiological, and community
indicators of coral bleaching that are reliable in their ability to
detect early stress signals; examine potential mechanisms of reef
corals for adaptation/acclimatization to global environmental
change; investigate long-term response of reef corals to large
scale changes in environmental variables. The group will meet
annually for three years and distribute findings through annual
reports and a final publication.
(ii)
The Global Coral Reef Mamnagement Network (GCRMN) is a global
network of coral reef scientists, Governments and local communities
for monitoring and assessment of coral reefs, in terms of both
biophysical and socio-economic parameters needed for
management. GCRMN is co-hosted by the Australian Institute of
Marine Science and the World Fish Center (ICLARM). The
World Fish Center also host ReefBase, the official database
of GCRMN, with data of over 8,000 coral reefs over the world.
UNEP, together with IOC/UNESCO, is a sponsor of the GCRMN and a
member of the GCRMN Management Group and the GCRMN Scientific and
Technical Advisory Committee.
(iii)
GCRMN has developed a comprehensive Status of Coral Reefs of the
World report to be updated every two years, with the most recent
edition published in October 2002.
(iv)
UNEP, through GCRMN, emphasizes the importance of monitoring
socio-economic parameters to achieve sustainable use of coral reef
ecosystems. A socio-economic manual has recently been
developed (October 2000) for monitoring of these parameters for
enhanced management capacity.
(v)
Contributing to GCRMN are existing regional projects.
Regional coral reef monitoring networks within GCRMN exist for the
Indian Ocean and the Wider Caribbean funded by World Bank, with the
goal of assisting in the conservation of the rich biodiversity of
coral reefs and their socio-economic value, and in the sustainable
management of their resources, through a monitoring network.
Monitoring programs dedicated to detect impacts from coral
bleaching are being implemented within the Asia Pacific region
(including the Great Barrier Reef), with a program underway currently to
maximise their compatibility for regional summaries.
(vi)
Under the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN), the
World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) and the World Fish Center are exploring the integration
and availability of map-based products through the WCMC website and
through ReefBase.
(vii)
Some projects within the CORDIO programme in the Indian Ocean region focus on determining
the socio-economic impacts of coral mortality and options for
mitigating these through management and development of alternative
livelihoods.
[20]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
The objectives of the Ad Hoc Study Group on Indicators of Coral
Bleaching and Subsequent Effects under activity (a) above include
the identification of biological indicators that would facilitate
long-term monitoring.
(ii)
GCRMN currently serves as a network for coral reef assessments and
monitoring of biological variable relevant to coral bleaching,
mortality and recovery, as well as many socio-economic parameters
associated with coral-reef services (see activity
(a)).
(iii)
Data repository and dissemination systems such as ReefBase may
offer time-line biological data.
(iv)
GCRMN, in coordination with the World Bank, IUCN, the Australian
Institute of Marine Science and UNEP regional seas programmes is
targeting existing or planned marine protected areas as the focus
of some of their monitoring activities. The sites may offer
valuable baseline data and serve for long-term monitoring. The
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has implemented a baseline
monitoring program to detect long term impacts of coral bleaching
on the Great
Barrier Reef.
(v)
GCRMN is currently developing rapid assessment methodology for
socio-economic and biophysical parameters in the Eastern African
region, especially for use in developing countries where limited
resources do not always allow for regular high-intensive
monitoring..
(vi)
WWF are leading a collaboration with ReefBase and the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority to release in 2004, a global toolkit
containing standardised methods for assessment and monitoring
impacts of coral bleaching events.
(vii)
The United States CRTF, GBRMPA and IUCN are producing a publication
Responding to Global Change: A Reef Manager's Guide to
Coral Bleaching for release in 2004. The Guide builds on the
IUCN/CBD publication Management of Bleached and Severely
Degraded Coral Reefs. It will assist reef managers to
predict, understand and respond to coral bleaching events, and take
action to minimise the severity and irreversibility of damage from
climate change through supporting the natural resilience of reef
ecosystems. The publication evaluates and synthesises current and
emerging experience and knowledge to guide efforts to reduce the
impact of climate change on coral reefs.
(viii)
The UNEP Division of Environmental Information, Assessment and
Early Warning coordinates a variety of information available from
remote sensing technologies and organizations that facilitates
dissemination of such information. They are well suited to
coordinate assessment of meteorological variables relevant to coral
bleaching, mortality and recovery.
(ix)
WCMC and ICLARM are exploring the integration and availability of
map-based products through the WCMC website and through
ReefBase.
[21]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
The objectives of the Ad Hoc Study Group on Indicators of Coral
Bleaching and Subsequent Effects referred to under activity (a)
above include the identification of physiological early-stress
indicators in corals.
(ii)
The Sida-SAREC and World Bank programme on coral-reef degradation
in the Indian
Ocean, was
initiated as a response to the 1998 coral-bleaching event
(CORDIO).
(iii)
GCRMN is currently developing rapid assessment methodology for
socio-economic and biophysical parameters in the Eastern African
region, especially for use in developing countries where limited
resources do not always allow for regular high-intensive monitoring
(ReefCheck).
(iv)
Within the ICRAN strategic plan, it is intended that these
capabilities will be developed and made widely
available.
(v)
The UNEP Division of Environmental Information, Assessment and
Early Warning coordinates a variety of information available from
remote sensing technologies and organizations that facilitates
dissemination of such information.
(vi)
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has developed a
comprehensive Coral Bleaching Response Program, which is being used
as a model for development of other regional response programs
(Program document can be downloaded from www.gbrmpa.gov.au).
(vii)
The Reef Manager's Guide to Coral Bleaching being
released in 2004 by the US Coral Reef Task Force and GBRMPA
provides protocols, advice and a framework for planning and
implementing rapid responses to coral bleaching events. The plan
for dissemination of the guide includes targeted capacity building
in partnership with NOAA and The Nature Conservancy.
[22]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
GCRMN has developed a comprehensive Status of Coral Reefs of the
World report to be updated every two years, with the most recent
edition published in October 2002. This report is largely
based of national and regional contributions.
(ii)
The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in
accordance with decision V/3, paragraph 7 of the Conference of
the Parties, invited Parties to submit case-studies for
dissemination through the clearing-house mechanism. The
national reporting mechanism of the Convention on Biological
Diversity facilitates the collection of information on the status
of coral reefs and case-studies on the occurrence and impacts of
coral bleaching.
(iii)
The CORDIO Status Reports offer reporting opportunities on the
status of the reefs for Indian Ocean countries. The dissemination of this
information through the CORDIO newsletter has facilitated further
communication and coordination on local impacts.
[23]/
Ongoing activities:
(i)
The UNEP Division of
Environmental Information, Assessment and Early Warning coordinates
a variety of information available from remote sensing technologies
and organizations that facilitate dissemination of such
information.
(ii)
Under the International Coral Reef Action Network, WCMC and ICLARM
are exploring the integration and availability of map-based
products through the WCMC website and through ReefBase that include
satellite and aerial imagery.
(iii)
HotSpots satellite temperature monitoring programme.
[24]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i) The CORDIO
programme links reef managers and scientists in efforts to
understand and respond to coral bleaching.
(ii) The GEF/World Bank
targeted research programme on coral bleaching has a strong focus
on supporting high quality science to generate management-relevant
information.
(iii) The Reef
Manager's Guide to Coral Bleaching released 2004 provides
current and emerging information to support local management
actions in response to global change.
[25]/
Ongoing initiatives
The Reef Manager's Guide to Coral
Bleaching released in 2004 compiles currently available and
emerging tools for responding to mass bleaching events.
[26]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i) Various
ongoing training activities not necessarily related to coral
bleaching but to coral conservation issues, e.g. the Ramsar
Wetlands for the future training initiative for Latin America and
the Caribbean; the regional seas programme for Caribbean protected
areas managers; various activities supported by aid agencies and
global and regional development banks.
(ii) Many other
training activities are carried out as components of wider projects
and programmes. GCRMN is building capacity for coral-reef
monitoring and assessments through training workshops, especially
in developing countries.
[27]/
Ongoing initiatives
Regional seas programmes through the ICRAN strategic
plan and existing programmes like CORDIO, and the UNEP Caribbean
Environment Programme are increasing regional capacity towards
monitoring, socio-economics and management, as related to coral
bleaching. The four regions currently active under the ICRAN
strategic plans are South‑East Asia, Pacific, Caribbean Eastern Africa.
[28]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
ICRI and the International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management
Symposium (ITMEMS) are building the foundation of new ICRI
action.
(ii)
A number of existing education and capacity-building projects
within the regional seas programmes serve to raise awareness
regarding coral bleaching.
(iii)
IUCN, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity,
USAID and WWF have produced a publication Management of Bleached
and Severely Damaged Coral Reefs, to contribute to effective and
immediate management action to aid reef protection and
regeneration, and to enhance research to develop the necessary
tools and measures for long-term success. In addition, the
publication is intended to raise awareness of the urgent need to
take all possible actions to reduce the impact of climate change on
coral reefs.
(iv)
The WWF approach to worldwide coral reef conservation includes
training of resource managers, increasing education, raising
awareness, and implementing site-based reef management projects to
help groups of stakeholders achieve their goals in reef management
and sustainable economic development, including through the
development of alternatives to destructive practices.
(v)
The International Coral Reef Information Network (ICRIN) is the
primary public awareness mechanism of the ICRI, and thus serves to
disseminate public information products that address the causes and
consequences of coral bleaching.
[29]/
Ongoing initiatives
As an
example, relevant regional activities within the Wider Caribbean
are carried out, inter alia, in the framework of:
(i)
The Cartagena Convention and its protocols on oil spills,
land-based sources of marine pollution and specially protected
areas and wildlife
(ii)
Regional ICRI Framework for Action
(iii)
Association of Caribbean States (ACS)
(iv)
Central American Commission on Environment and Development
(CCAD)
(v)
CARICOM.
[30]/
Ongoing initiatives
Some projects within the CORDIO programme
in the Indian
Ocean region
focus on determining the socio-economic impacts of coral mortality
and options for mitigating these through management and development
of alternative livelihoods. Development is needed of further
target research projects that investigate the impacts of coral
bleaching and mortality events on social and economic systems in
other regions.
[31]/
Ongoing initiatives
(i)
The Executive Secretary has transmitted the view to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that there
is significant evidence that climate change is a primary cause of
the recent and severe extensive coral bleaching, and that this
evidence is sufficient to warrant remedial measures being taken in
line with the precautionary approach. In this regard, the
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the
Secretariat of the UNFCCC, and the InterGovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) have initiated dialogue to explore the
integration of biological diversity concerns into the
implementation of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.
(ii)
GEF Caribbean project on climate change adaptation (CPACC
project).
(iii)
GEF/World Bank Targeted Research Project on Coral
Bleaching.
[32]/
A global network provides for the connections between Parties, with
collaboration of others, for the exchange of ideas and experiences,
scientific and technical cooperation, capacity-building and
cooperative action that mutually support national and regional
systems of protected areas which collectively contribute to the
achievement of the programme of work. This network has no
authority or mandate over national or regional systems.
[33]/
Further elaboration is provided in CBD Technical Document No.
13.
