June 2014: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has released a publication, titled ‘Common Oceans: Global Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.’ The report introduces the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) Program, which focuses on tuna, deep-sea fisheries and biodiversity conservation.

The ‘Global sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation in the ABNJ Program’ aims to promote efficient, sustainable management of fisheries resources and biodiversity conservation in ABNJ to achieve globally agreed targets, including States’ obligations under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The programme is composed of four projects, each of which uses an ecosystem approach to move away from “the race to fish.”

The ‘Sustainable management of tuna fisheries and biodiversity conservation in ABNJ’ project focuses on reducing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing through strengthened and harmonized Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS). It also aims to reduce ecosystem impacts from tuna fishing, including bycatch.

The ‘Sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation of deep-sea living resources and ecosystems in ABNJ’ project aims to reduce the adverse impacts on Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) and enhance the conservation and management of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs).

The ‘Ocean partnerships for sustainable fisheries and biodiversity conservation-models for innovation and reform’ project aims to support improved public and private sector investment in stocks that migrate across Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). The project is developing four pilot investments to transform sustainable fisheries in priority ocean areas.

‘Strengthening Global Capacity to Effectively Manage ABNJ’ promotes global and regional coordination on ABNJ. It supports cross-sectoral dialogue, policy coordination, capacity building for decision-makers participating in ABNJ processes, and improved public understanding of ecosystem threats to ABNJ.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funds the five-year programme. FAO implements the program in coordination with UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Bank and other partners, including Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and non-government organizations (NGOs). [Publication: Common Oceans: Global Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in ABNJ] [Common Oceans Website]