Medidas de Gestao das Pescarias Marinhas e Aquicultura 2019 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 | Page 94

PART 1 WORLD REVIEW
of coastal and marine areas) not only outline
fisheries’ accountability for the full footprint of its
activities; they also facilitate the measurement of
countries’ action in mainstreaming biodiversity in
their policies and management measures. On the
high seas, the biodiversity beyond national
jurisdiction (BBNJ) process is a strong force for
multisectoral governance (see “The emerging role
of regional cooperation for sustainable
development” in Part 4).
The science–policy nexus now includes climate
and ocean policies. In 2017, the United Nations
General Assembly discussed the topic of the
effects of climate change on oceans during the
eighteenth UN Informal Consultative Process
on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. Oceans
Action Day has been part of the official
programme of the Conference of Parties (COP)
to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since COP 22 in
2016. At COP 23, the presiding Government of
Fiji not only supported this event, but also
launched the Oceans Pathway Partnership to
support the inclusion of oceans in the official
negotiations on climate. In addition, the
“Because the Ocean” declaration launched at
COP 21 has been signed by an increasing
number of countries. With this increased
emphasis on oceans, action is moving from
awareness raising and advocacy to the
implementation of concrete actions and
initiatives around the world to enhance the key
roles of oceans and aquatic systems in
adaptation and mitigation.
Parties to the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), well aware of the benefits of diverse,
sustainable fisheries and productive oceans, are
increasingly responding to recognized depletions
of aquatic species. Since 2013, CITES has listed 20
commercially exploited fish species, while the
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory
Species of Wild Animals (CMS) has listed 28.
Some of these listings come with binding
provisions that regulate trade; their
implementation thus requires not only a shift in
practices across industrial and artisanal fisheries,
but also actions on the part of countries, regional
fisheries bodies (RFBs) and others.
Fisheries and biodiversity
Since the 1992 adoption of the Convention on
Biological Diversit y (CBD), biodiversit y
considerations in relation to management of
fisheries and aquaculture have been focused on
policies and actions for the conser vation of
threatened species and v ulnerable habitats (see
“Biodiversit y, fisheries and aquaculture” in
Part 2).
Sustainable aquaculture and fisheries rely on
sound management and conser vation of aquatic
genetic resources (AqGR), for example to protect
genetically independent populations from the
harmful effects of stocking and resettlement
measures and non-native strain escapees from
aquaculture. Assessment of AqGR is important
in this connection. The Federal Ministr y of Food
and Agriculture of Germany, for instance, is
currently engaged in a project for the molecular
genetic documentation of genetic management
units of crayfish, brown trout, lake trout, sea
trout, barbel, burbot, grayling and tench. The
knowledge gained during this project is to be
incorporated in practical recommendations for
the stock management of these species,
respecting the genetic diversit y of the entire
population.
Many regional fisheries management
organizations (RFMOs) and national fishery
authorities have updated their management
instruments or replaced them with new ones
incorporating more proactive management rules
for species and habitats of particular conservation
concern, increasingly in close collaboration with
environment-sector interests. The Sustainable
Ocean Initiative, for example, aims to ensure the
convergence of actions by regional seas
organizations and RFMOs by facilitating
partnerships to link various initiatives (CBD,
2018). Aichi target 6 (a series of deliverables for
fisheries) and Aichi target 11 (effective area-based
management of biodiversity in inland water,
coastal and marine areas) coupled with SDG
target 14.5 (By 2020, conserve at least 10 percent
For aquaculture, the value of AqGR is the
potential for increased production, resilience,
efficiency and profitabilit y. In particular, high-
qualit y seed and genetic improvement
programmes in aquaculture, and specifically
selective breeding, have ser ved as an effective
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