Taken together, the three sets of guidelines on implementing an ecosystem
approach, deep-sea fisheries, and bycatch management offer normative approaches
for States to further implement their obligations under Article 61 and Article 119 of
UNCLOS. With the increasing pressures on ecosystems caused by the dual climate
change impacts of warming oceans and acidifying waters, FAO faces significant
challenges in adapting the existing concepts of ecosystem-based management to a
changing climate. FAO has undertaken some work by recognizing the regional
variability that climate change will have on fisheries including the migration of
some tropical species in the Mediterranean and the redistribution of some pelagic
species such as tuna across the Pacific Ocean.
27 Climate variability and fisheries
management adaptation are areas where the FAO is likely to be play an increasingly
important role as a “norm entrepreneur.”
FAO has given special attention to the impact that extreme events such as floods,
droughts, and tropical storms may have on fishery resources including aquaculture
resources. In order to enhance resilience of fishermen and fish farmers, FAO is
working to apply risk and vulnerability reduction measures that support “the promotion of responsible and sustainable management for fisheries and aquaculture
following the ecosystem approach to fisheries and to aquaculture.”
28 In keeping with
the commitment to better manage bycatch and reduce discards, part of the FAO
effort includes developing “a micronutrient rich fish based by-product” that will be
distributed in emergencies.
29
Institutionally, the FAO continues particularly through the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) to consider how it can offer additional assistance through strengthening
existing and starting new relationships to further the ecosystem based approach.
FAO has been involved in a number of projects involving an ecosystem approach to
fisheries including the “EAF Nansen Project” that has resulted in the finalization of
16 fisheries management plans based on ecosystem based approaches, the updating
of transboundary analyses using an ecosystem approach for shared living marine
resources in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem, support for implementation of
the Bay of Bengal’s Large Marine Ecosystem project, and the mainstreaming of
ecosystem approaches to fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea Large Marine Ecosystems.
30 In 2016, at the 32nd Session of COFI, FAO highlighted additional projects
where the organization has provided support for further implementing an ecosystem
approach to fisheries including:
27 FAO, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Climate Change: The Role of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the
Implementation of the Paris Agreement, (2016). Available at http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6383e.pdf.
28 FAO Committee on Fisheries, Thirty-second Session, (11–15 July 2016), Global and Regional
Processes, COFI/2016/8 at para. 67.
29 Ibid.
30 FAO Contribution to Part I of the Report of the Secretary-General on Oceans and the Law of the
Sea, (28 January 2015) Sixteenth Meeting of the United Nations Open-Ended Informal Consultative
Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea: “Oceans and Sustainable Development: Integrations of
the Three Dimensions of Sustainable Development, Namely Environmental, Social and Economic”
Annex 2, pp. 27–28.
210
A. Telesetsky
approach, deep-sea fisheries, and bycatch management offer normative approaches
for States to further implement their obligations under Article 61 and Article 119 of
UNCLOS. With the increasing pressures on ecosystems caused by the dual climate
change impacts of warming oceans and acidifying waters, FAO faces significant
challenges in adapting the existing concepts of ecosystem-based management to a
changing climate. FAO has undertaken some work by recognizing the regional
variability that climate change will have on fisheries including the migration of
some tropical species in the Mediterranean and the redistribution of some pelagic
species such as tuna across the Pacific Ocean.
27 Climate variability and fisheries
management adaptation are areas where the FAO is likely to be play an increasingly
important role as a “norm entrepreneur.”
FAO has given special attention to the impact that extreme events such as floods,
droughts, and tropical storms may have on fishery resources including aquaculture
resources. In order to enhance resilience of fishermen and fish farmers, FAO is
working to apply risk and vulnerability reduction measures that support “the promotion of responsible and sustainable management for fisheries and aquaculture
following the ecosystem approach to fisheries and to aquaculture.”
28 In keeping with
the commitment to better manage bycatch and reduce discards, part of the FAO
effort includes developing “a micronutrient rich fish based by-product” that will be
distributed in emergencies.
29
Institutionally, the FAO continues particularly through the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) to consider how it can offer additional assistance through strengthening
existing and starting new relationships to further the ecosystem based approach.
FAO has been involved in a number of projects involving an ecosystem approach to
fisheries including the “EAF Nansen Project” that has resulted in the finalization of
16 fisheries management plans based on ecosystem based approaches, the updating
of transboundary analyses using an ecosystem approach for shared living marine
resources in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem, support for implementation of
the Bay of Bengal’s Large Marine Ecosystem project, and the mainstreaming of
ecosystem approaches to fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea Large Marine Ecosystems.
30 In 2016, at the 32nd Session of COFI, FAO highlighted additional projects
where the organization has provided support for further implementing an ecosystem
approach to fisheries including:
27 FAO, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Climate Change: The Role of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the
Implementation of the Paris Agreement, (2016). Available at http://www.fao.org/3/a-i6383e.pdf.
28 FAO Committee on Fisheries, Thirty-second Session, (11–15 July 2016), Global and Regional
Processes, COFI/2016/8 at para. 67.
29 Ibid.
30 FAO Contribution to Part I of the Report of the Secretary-General on Oceans and the Law of the
Sea, (28 January 2015) Sixteenth Meeting of the United Nations Open-Ended Informal Consultative
Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea: “Oceans and Sustainable Development: Integrations of
the Three Dimensions of Sustainable Development, Namely Environmental, Social and Economic”
Annex 2, pp. 27–28.
210
A. Telesetsky