PrepCom for the Entry into Force of the Agreement under the UNCLOS and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction and the Convening of the First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement (BBNJ)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed the adoption of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ agreement), a long-awaited milestone in addressing the gaps in the governance of oceans.

FAO recognizes sustainable utilization of resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction cannot be achieved without marine biological diversity conservation. FAO integrates policies and practices for the conservation, sustainable use, management, and restoration of biological diversity across agrifood systems including fisheries and aquaculture. This is outlined in the FAO’s ‘Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors’1.

FAO is ideally positioned to assist its Members in ratifying and implementing the BBNJ agreement. It is ready to take a proactive role in anticipating areas for cohesion, cooperation, coordination and to support collaborative partnerships among all aquatic resource management and environmental conservation regimes. To ensure targeted and tailored support to Members, FAO will leverage its existing collaborative projects and networks including the network of the regional fisheries bodies involved in managing marine areas beyond national jurisdiction and the GEF-funded Common Oceans Program.

FAO will draw on its expertise to support the development of legislative, administrative, policy and operational measures in implementation upon request from Members. FAO is also ready to engage with the Scientific and Technical Body (STB) through representation by qualified FAO fisheries experts, and to be represented in or engage with other institutional mechanisms of the BBNJ Agreement including the Conference of the Parties.

The information document titled “FAO and the marine biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) process” also highlights areas where the FAO may assist Member Nations in implementing the BBNJ Agreement. FAO is also examining the links between the BBNJ Agreement and fisheries and FAO instruments frameworks and bodies with a view to provide relevant guidance and assistance for Members.

Guided by the FAO Committee on Fisheries and other FAO bodies and instruments of relevance to implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, the FAO stands ready to assist and work closely with Members, other partners and relevant global and regional sectoral bodies to provide technical advice and support in the implementation of this long-awaited international instrument.

1 FAO. 2020. FAO Strategy on Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Agricultural Sectors. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca7722en