Designation and Management of OSPAR MPAs Beyond National Jurisdiction in the North-East Atlantic

Dr. Henning von Nordheim1 & Tim Packeiser²

1 German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)

² Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU)

IUCN-BfN Seminar on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction

1-3 December 2011 – Bonn/Germany

OSPAR Convention Area in the North-East Atlantic

OSPAR Convention

Oslo-Paris Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment in the North-East Atlantic (1992)

15 Contracting Parties & European Union

5 Thematic Strategies:

Eutrophication Strategy

Hazardous Substances Strategy

Offshore Industry Strategy

Radioactive Substances Strategy

Biodiversity and Ecosystems Strategy

5 Committees & various Working/Correspondence Groups

OSPAR Convention

Work to implement the OSPAR Convention and its strategies is taken forward through the adoption of decisions, which are legally binding on the Contracting Parties, and through recommendations and other agreements.

OSPAR Decisions and Recommendations set out actions to be taken by the Contracting Parties.

OSPAR Network of MPAs

OSPAR Ministerial Meeting in 2003 adopted Recommendation 2003/3:

to establish an ecologically coherent network of well-managed MPAs in the North-East Atlantic by 2010

Toolbox: Biogeographic classification of the OSPAR Maritime Area

OSPAR List of threatened and/or declining species and habitats

Guidelines for the identification and selection of Marine Protected Areas in the OSPAR Maritime Area (including criteria)

Guidance on developing an ecologically coherent Network of OSPAR Marine Protected Areas

Guidelines for the management of Marine Protected Areas in the OSPAR Maritime Area

As facilitator functions the OSPAR-MPA group since 1999

Status of OSPAR Network of MPAs(before OSPAR Ministerial Meeting in September 2010)

Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ)in the OSPAR Maritime Area

Designation of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (I)

Compilation of scientific information and data

Identification of potential MPAs in ABNJ

Preparation of proposals for MPAs in ABNJ (2006/2008)

Scientific evaluation of proposals by OSPAR working groups and committees as well as by ICES (2008-2009)

Conservation objectives for proposed MPAs in ABNJ agreed by the OSPAR Commission (2009)

Six potential MPAs in ABNJ agreed in principle by the OSPAR Commission (2008/2009)

Legal advice on the establishment of MPAs in ABNJ by OSPAR Group of Jurists (2009-2010)

Political negotiations and final agreement at OSPAR Ministerial Meeting (2010)

2005

2010

Designation of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (II)

Source:

WWFGermany

2007

Designation of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (III)

Source:

BfNGermany

2008/2009

Designation of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (IV)

Designation of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (V)

OSPAR MPAs in ABNJ as established at the OSPAR Ministerial Meeting 2010

(September 2010 in Bergen/Norway)

Area coverage: ~ 286.000 km²

Designation of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (VI)

OSPAR Ministerial Meeting in 2010 adopted:

OSPAR Decisions on the Establishment of six MPAs in ABNJ

OSPAR Recommendations on the Management of six MPAs in ABNJ

! applicable to OSPAR Contracting Parties only

! Mindful of the competencies of the OSPAR Commission, cooperation/collaboration is sought with other regional/global Competent Authorities regarding the management of these MPAs in ABNJ

Management of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (I)

Competent Authorities to regulate human activities in accordance with UNCLOS and corresponding mandates in ABNJ:

OSPAR Commission (OSPAR) Protection of the Marine Environment: awareness raising, information building, marine

science, environmental impact assessments (EIAs), strategic environmental assessments (SEAs)

North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)

International Seabed Authority (ISA)

International Maritime Organization (IMO)

…

Management of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (II)

Moving from a sectoral to an integrated ecosystem-based management approach amongst Competent Authorities:

Memoranda of Understanding OSPAR-NEAFC; OSPAR-IMO; OSPAR-ISA; NEAFC-IMO; IMO-ISA; etc.

Informal Consultative Meetings March 2010/Madeira; January 2012/Paris; to be continued

Collective Arrangement between Competent Authorities on the management of selected areas in ABNJ in the North-East Atlantic * setting out principles for collaboration; signed by OSPAR 2011;

to be signed by other CAs

Joint preparation of management plans for MPAs in ABNJ to start in January 2012

Management of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (III)

Envisaged Collective Arrangement between Competent Authorities on the management of selected areas in ABNJ in the North-East Atlantic

§ 2. The Competent Authorities decide within the framework of their respective mandate and competence, to cooperate in the development and implementation of appropriate measures for the conservation and management of these areas, informed, where appropriate, by conservation objectives established for these areas.

§ 3. To this end the Competent Authorities should:

a. inform each other of any updated scientific information and environmental assessment and monitoring data;

b. Notify and consult each other of existing and proposed human uses;

c. cooperate on environmental impact assessments, strategic environmental assessments and equivalent instruments;

d. consult annually to review their respective objectives in relation to the areas listed in Annex1, the status of the areas concerned, and the appropriateness of existing management measures and, where necessary, develop proposals for improvement of either; and

e. cooperate to obtain a better knowledge of the areas concerned through, where appropriate, developing exchange of data, sharing of databases and collecting data in standardised formats.

Joint Management Plan

MoUs &

Collective Arrangement on the

management of selected areas in

ABNJ

Management of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (IV)

MPA beyond national jurisdiction in the

North-East Atlantic

OSPAR

ISA IMO

NEAFC

……

Recommendati

ons on management measures for

awareness raising,

information building, marine

research, EIAs, SEAs

(2010)

Temporary Area

Closures(2009)

Management of OSPAR MPAs beyond national jurisdiction (V)

NEAFC: Temporary area closures on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge prohibiting fishing gear likely to contact the seafloor during normal course of fishing operations

(2009-2015)

Applies to NEAFC Contracting Parties

Concluding reflections on the regional approach in the North-East Atlantic

Without a global regulatory mechanism in place, action at the regional level seems to be the only way forward

It is an evolving approach due to lack of precedent

Competencies are in general complementary; yet overlaps exist with regards to the general mandate to protect the marine environment

Challenge to establish principles and practicalities of cooperation/collaboration amongst Competent Authorities

Regional Authorities naturally with limited geographic scope; applicability of measures restricted to Contracting Parties

Global Authorities’ involvement/support is necessary; yet it appears to be a complicated and longwinded process

Thank you very much for your attention!

Further information:

“The first network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the high seas: The process, the challenges and where next”

B.C. O’Leary, R.L. Brown, D.E. Johnson, H. von Nordheim, J. Ardron, T. Packeiser, C.M. Roberts

Marine Policy 36 (2012) 598–605