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©IUCN / Aurélie SPADONE - IUCN IDDRI IRD members,  Workshop, Nairobi Convention March 2016 Mauritius

©IUCN / Aurélie SPADONE 

#science4highseas

Due to the development of human activities and the threats they pose to the marine environment, greater attention is being given by the international community to issues of governance of the marine resources of the Areas Beyond National Jurisdictions (ABNJ). The vast majority of States today recognize that gaps exist in the global and regional frameworks of governance. The inadequacy of dedicated legal instruments applicable to ABNJ requires a reflection on both the conservation of biodiversity on the high seas and the sustainable exploitation of living resources.

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Governance of offshore resources in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO)
 
There are a large number of organizations, mechanisms and projects dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the WIO. However, very few deal with issues related to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ.
Until very recently, there were no regional fisheries organizations (RFMOs) competent to regulate non-tuna fisheries in the ABNJs of the region. The recent entry into force of the South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) has filled this gap. Nevertheless, on the coordination and cooperation aspects between the governance frameworks concerned, there are still fundamental answers to be given concerning the relationship between RFMOs and global organizations such as the International Seabed Authority (ISA) or the Organization Maritime International (IMO) for the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) regarding the regulatory deficit of certain sectors, and the lack of consideration of the impacts of human activities in ABNJ.
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Governance of high seas resources and the UN

A decade of interstate discussions within the BBNJ Working Group (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) resulted in a recommendation in January 2015 to the United Nations General Assembly to initiate a process towards negotiations for the preparation of a legally binding international instrument dedicated to the conservation and sustainable management of marine biodiversity in the Beyond National Jurisdictions Areas. The process was officially launched in June 2015, followed by the start of the preparatory phase (PrepCom) in 2016. This decision is in line with the deadline for the discussions set at the Rio + 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development ( Resolution A / 69/292 1 (a) of 19 June 2015).
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Conservation Measures in international waters of the WIO
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In 2005, three of the four operators in the deepwater fishing industry in the southwest Indian Ocean voiced their concern over the lengthy implementation of an agreement on deep-sea fisheries in this area. They sought the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to facilitate and chair discussions on the subject. What it did. As a result of the discussions, operators decided to form an association of industrial operators to promote responsible fishing and efficient management of the species caught by their vessels.

 

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The Southern Indian Ocean Deepwater Fishers Association (SIODFA) was founded in 2006.
Since that date, SIODFA voluntarily declared 13 areas in which its members are prohibited from bottom-fishing (non-binding prohibition for non-members). These Benthic Protected Areas (BPA) are designed to protect, among other things, corals, fixed benthic organisms and wildlife associated with these benthic communities.


The Walters Shoal is thus voluntarily protected by SIODFA on 3443 km2 (33Ëš 00'S 43Ëš 10'E / 33Ëš 20'S 44Ëš 10'E). In total, 309,000 km2 of seabed are voluntarily closed to the association's bottom-fishing

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The FFEM-SWIO project and governance of high seas resources
 
In 2015, the project led to the preparation and publication by the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) of a document entitled "Management tools by zone in marine areas beyond national jurisdictions: Options for the Western Indian Ocean ". This publication was presented and opened the discussion in the same year at the 8th Conference of the Parties to the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Implementation of the Marine and Coastal Environment of The western Indian Ocean region. With satisfaction, this intervention enabled the Parties to adopt Decision CP8 / 10, "Strongly calling on the Contracting Parties to cooperate to ensure improved governance of areas beyond national jurisdictions, Existing regional institutions, including the Nairobi Convention, and by developing tools on zonal management, such as spatial marine planning, to promote blue economy avenues in the Western Indian Ocean. "

In 2016, the project also provided support for SIOFA's early developments at the meeting of the parties, and to further discussions with the French delegation (DPMA) in the presence of the representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of the Environment.

Sources: Rochette, J., Wright, G. (2015). Outils de gestion par zone dans les espaces marins situés au-delà des juridictions nationales : options possibles pour l’océan Indien occidental, Iddri, Working Papers N°06/15, 16 p ; Groupe de travail Global Marine et Polar Programme (GMPP) ; Press release SIODFA UICN 2013; Convention Nairobi CP8/10.

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