14th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD)

On 17-29 November 2018, the Fisheries Experts Group of the IUCN Commission of Ecosystem Management (IUCN/CEM/FEG) attended the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) COP 14 that took place in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Represented by Jake Rice and Despina Symons, FEG members as part of the IUCN Delegation contributed in the CBD process related to marine issues. Among others, an important highlight for FEG and its work was the adoption of the Decision on Protected Areas and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs). This Decision, for which FEG had earlier produced the background document on OECMs, will now further aid Parties in achieving Target 11 (10% of protected and conserved areas).

• See here for summary and analysis of conference on all marine related topics.

FEG, in collaboration with FAO and the CBD Secretariat, also organized two side events:

• On the 21st of November, the side event on Other Effective Conservation Measures reviewed the implications of OECMs definition, principles and criteria for fisheries (see here for agenda).
• On the 26th of November the side event focused on the progress towards Aichi Biodiversity Target 6 on sustainable fisheries and in particular on understanding, assessing and reporting on the fisheries and biodiversity nexus (see here for agenda).

Both side events successfully brought interested Parties and other organizations together and further enhanced the debate regarding the potential of fisheries in contributing to marine biodiversity conservation.