IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN-BfN International Seminar on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction - Report now available

21 March 2012 | News story

The international seminar on conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) was organized by the IUCN Environmental Law Centre in collaboration with the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in Bonn, Germany 1-3 December, 2011.

Bringing together government representatives from 16 states, representatives from intergovernmental organizations, as well as external experts (including the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme), the objective of this informal meeting was to make substantive progress in the further development of ideas and concepts with regard to three main issues which, amongst others, play a key role in the BBNJ process:

- Possible ways of sharing benefits from the utilization of marine genetic resources accessed in areas beyond national jurisdiction;
- Possible governance frameworks for the establishment and management of a network of Marine Protected Areas on the High Seas; and
- Possible role of and consequences for an UNCLOS implementing agreement.

The report includes the following presentations delivered at the workshop:

Presentation I: Need for a Global Framework

Presentation II: Designation and Management

Presentation III: Possible Options for a Global Framework

Presentation IV: Different Options for ABS

Presentation V: Common Pools in Aquaculture

Presentation VI: Broadening the mandate of ISA

Presentation VII: Australia's marine bioregional planning

Presentation VIII: Summary of Discussions on MPAs

Presentation IX: Summary of Discussions on ABS