Deep Sea Fisheries (DSF) occur at great depths in the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) and constitute a small fraction of global fisheries; however, DSF are often highly valuable, generating up to USD 620 million annually. Interest in deep sea species has led to concerns about their enhanced vulnerability as a result of increased fishing activities and the potential damage caused by bottom contact fishing gears to fragile benthic ecosystems like coral reefs and sponge grounds. Although significant progress has been made in promoting sustainable DSF and protecting biodiversity in the ABNJ, the pace and scope of management measures and scientific understanding needs to be expanded, given the known vulnerability of deep sea fish stocks, associated bycatch species and habitats. Greater international and consumer pressure, as well as raised awareness and readiness for action among stakeholders, are now creating favourable conditions for acting decisively in support of the implementation of relevant policy and legal frameworks that are strengthening spatial planning and control measures, including the improved protection of sensitive areas such as vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). The main objective of this project one of four projects making up the Global Environment Facility financed Program on Global Sustainable Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in ABNJ was to achieve efficiency and sustainability in the use of deep sea living resources and improving biodiversity conservation in the ABNJ. It aimed to achieve this through the systematic application of an ecosystem approach to: ( i ) improving sustainable management practices for DSF, taking into account the impacts on related ecosystems, (ii) improving the protection of VMEs and enhanced conservation and management of components of ecologically and biologically significant areas and (iii) testing area based planning tools for deep sea ecosystems.

The inception workshop of the areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) Deep-Sea Fisheries under the Ecosystem Approach (DSF) Project was held virtually in two sessions using the video conferencing tool “Zoom” on 24 August 2020 and 26 August 2020. The workshop was attended by representatives and potential project partners, including seven Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), the GEF Secretariat and two industry organizations. The primary objective of the inception workshop was to update the project partners on the project’s scope, including objectives, components and outputs and to review the projects delivery structure, including the roles of the Implementing Agency and Executing Agency. The timeline for the development of the DSF Project was also discussed. The inception workshop participants took note and commented on the outputs and activities that are being developed by the project design team, recognizing that this is still work in progress which will require further discussions and inputs. The participants also took note of the respective roles of GEF implementing and executing agencies, but were unable to make suggestions as to suitable and acceptable executing agencies for the DSF Project. Participants took note of the DSF Project timeline, recognizing that it could be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

From 10 to 12 April 2019, a group of international experts met in Rome to identify and evaluate the issues relating to existing and future possible implementation of rights-based management of high seas fisheries. The group reviewed the development of international law as it relates to the high seas fisheries. Particular emphasis was given to the Convention on the Law of the Sea and how it provides for access to high seas fisheries and the obligations this access involves and the implications for those wishing to enter fully prescribed fisheries. This assessment provided the starting point to the legal basis that allows Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) to manage harvesting entitlements to fish stocks or to effort, capacity, or habitat impact in their jurisdiction in a manner that ensures that the incentives for effective and efficient management from rights-based management (RBM) that are found in seas under national jurisdiction may also be obtained from high seas fisheries.

The publication documents the results of the review of the level of implementation of the FAO Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) by the fisheries management bodies in each of the different ABNJ regions. The review was designed to help identify future activities by the ABNJ Deep Sea Project to address gaps and capacity development and make recommendations to strengthen EAF among deep-sea fisheries management bodies and/or their members. The information to complete the EAF reviews was largely obtained from web-based materials. To assist with the accuracy of these desktop assessments, following initial drafting of each EAF background report and associated EAF assessment, both documents were sent to the respective RFMO secretariats. Comments and/or suggestions provided by the secretariats were then addressed with revised versions of the background reports and review assessments generated. Based on these revised reports, the comparative analyses were finalized and a full report was drafted. Being a desk-top assessment of the level of implementation of the EAF approach by each of the RFMO management bodies, the study had a number of caveats including only being able to measure systems and processes, not outcomes. A more complete assessment of EAF adoption and especially the outcomes would require direct involvement of the various stakeholders, including all relevant management, compliance and scientific bodies, contracting parties (CP), non-contracting parties (NCP), vessel owners, crews, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), etc.

The marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) comprises 40 percent of the earth’s surface, it covers 64 percent of the surface of the ocean and 95 percent of its volume. The Common Oceans ABNJ Program (2014-2019) was implemented by FAO as a concerted effort to bring various stakeholders to work together to manage and conserve the world’s common oceans.   The ABNJ Deep-Sea project, one component of the Common Oceans ABNJ Program, was of great assistance to newly-formed regional fisheries management organization and arrangements (RFMO/As), as well as some long-standing regional fisheries. The project showed positive results in safeguarding vulnerable marine ecosystems, strengthening monitoring, control and surveillance to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, mitigating bycatch mortality trends, and building awareness of cross-sectoral aspects in effective governance of ABNJ. Through its cooperation with RFMOs, the project has, to some extent, contributed to minimize the negative impacts of bycatch. Results achieved should be capitalized on and upscaled in a second phase.