Applying an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management: focus on seamounts in the southern Indian Ocean

1. Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Applying an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management: focus on seamounts in the southern Indian Ocean

2. Background • FUNDING GEF Medium-size project (1 mio. USD) • IMPLEMENTING AGENCY United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) • FOCAL AREA International Waters • STRATEGIC PROGRAMME Restoring and sustaining coastal and marine fish stocks and associated biological diversity • DURATION April 2009 – October 2012

3. Main co-funders and partners

4. Project Steering Committee UNDP Project Management Unit (PMU) IUCN Project Coordinator Cruise Coordinator FAO Administrative Assistant / communications and guidance support WCPA ZSL Finance Officer ASCLME PMU cooperates with these projects SIODFA (observer) ASCLME PMU cooperates with these organisations ACEP SWIOFP SWIOFC IOC IOTC Nairobi Convention Organigram

5. Overall goal “To apply an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management for biologically- globally significant and commercially-important areas beyond national jurisdiction in the southern Indian Ocean, focusing on seamounts, with a long-term aim to demonstrate innovative approaches to improve conservation and management of unique biodiversity and ecological resources in the high seas”

6. Why SW Indian Ocean? Global knowledge gap Predicted habitat suitability of stony corals on seamounts Global database of coral records

7. Governance and management gap Fisheries Distribution of major fisheries on seamounts Only large-scale conservation initiative • Lack of implementation of existing instruments (e.g. UNCLOS, CBD, UNFSA, etc.), including UNGA resolution 61/105? • SIOFA not yet in force Other threats (incl. climate change) • No comprehensive conservation and management framework for the high seas of the Indian Ocean

8. Why seamounts? • Habitats for commercially-important species • Strong benthic-pelagic coupling • Hotspots of biodiversity • Vulnerability of species and ecosystems • Risk linked to destructive fishing practices

9. Project objectives Objective 1 – Biodiversity Assessment Improve scientific understanding and capacity for monitoring, assessment and analysis of high seas biodiversity and fisheries Objective 2 - Governance Enhance governance framework for high seas resources conservation and management Objective 3 - Management Identify management and compliance options for deep and high seas biodiversity in the southern Indian Ocean, based on precautionary and ecosystem-based approaches Objective 4 - Outreach Raise awareness of and share knowledge with policy makers, the fishing industry and the public regionally and internationally

10. Project objectives (1) Improve knowledge and understanding of seamounts • Biodiversity assessment • Fishing activities’ impacts assessment • BPAs effectiveness assessment • Capacity building • Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge • 5 seamount areas – all exclusively on the high seas • 3 inside proposed BPAs (A, C & E) • 2 outside BPAs (B & D) A = Atlantis, B = Sapmer, C = Bridle, D = Melville, E = Coral

11. How & when Cruise 1 • RV Dr. Fridtjof Nansen • Aim: 40 days, November-December 2009 • Focus: pelagic ecosystems and biodiversity, pelagic fishery resources and oceanography • Some activities: • Acoustic and net-studies of zooplankton, micronekton, nekton and fish populations • Sampling of animals for studies of pelagic biodiversity, trophic ecology, genetics • Sampling of fish for analysis of species diversity, age / size structure of populations and genetics

12. Cruise 2 • Led by IOZ/ZSL on the James Cook (?) • Aim: 40 days, end 2011 • Focus: benthic ecosystems and biodiversity, benthic fishery resources and impact assessment of bottom fishing activities • Some activities: • ROV-based surveys of seamounts to estimate abundance and diversity of the fauna • Some surface-based sampling to analyse the diversity of smaller organisms living on seamounts (those not visible with ROV cameras) • Collection of specimens for taxonomic identification, trophic ecology studies, reproductive biological studies, genetic studies, palaeooceanographic analyses

13. Project objectives (2) (2) Enhance governance framework for high seas resources conservation and management • Institutional and legal gap analysis (international to national); development of options for improvement and strengthening of legal and institutional framework for high seas resources in the Indian Ocean • Fisheries situation analysis • Identification and analysis of threats other than fisheries

14. Project objectives (3) (3) Identify management and compliance options for deep and high seas biodiversity in the southern Indian Ocean, based on the ecosystem approach • Identification of conservation and management options based on the precautionary and ecosystem approaches, and in line with res. 61/105 • Identification of appropriate monitoring, control and surveillance systems to maximise compliance and enforcement • Development of a draft management framework for high seas biodiversity and important high seas areas in the SIO

15. Project objectives (4) (3) Outreach • Dissemination of information at relevant regional and international fora (policy briefs, research results, etc.) • Liaison and exchange of information with relevant institutions (NGOs, scientific entities, international organisations, fisheries associations, international programmes, etc.) • Communications • Website & cruise blog • Brochure • Films, pictures, display • Pictorial book • Articles (media and specialised press)

16. Where to next? • Southwest Atlantic? • Pacific? • Whole Indian Ocean basin?

17. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!