Academies that have endorsed Akademi Sains Malaysia June 2021 the IAP Statement on Protection Mauritius Academy of and of Marine Environments Technology Albanian Academy of Mexican Academy of Sciences Algerian Academy of Sciences and Mongolian Academy of Sciences Technology Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Fiscas Sciences y Naturales de la Republica Argentina Nicaraguan Academy of Sciences Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Pakistan Academy of Sciences The InteracAdemy Partnership Aires, Argentina Palestine Academy for Science and Under the umbrella of the InterAcademy National Academy of Sciences of Cordoba, Technology Partnership (IAP), more than 140 Argentina National Academy of Science and national, regional and global member Australian Academy of Science Technology, Philippines academies work together to support Bangladesh Academy of Sciences Polish Academy of Sciences the vital role of science in seeking Academie Nationale de Sciences, Arts et Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts evidence-based solutions to the Lettres du Benin Romanian Academy world’s most challenging problems. Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian In particular, IAP harnesses the expertise and Herzegovina Branch of the world’s scientific, medical and IAP Statement Brazilian Academy of Sciences Rwanda Academy of Sciences engineering leaders to advance sound Academia Nacionale de Medicina, Brazil Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts policies, improve public health, promote Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Academy of Science of South Africa excellence in science education, and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Arts National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka achieve other critical development goals. on Protection of Marine Cameroon Academy of Sciences Sudanese National Academy of Sciences Statements such as this one are prepared Royal Society of Canada Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences by a working group comprising experts Chilean Academy of Sciences Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters nominated by member academies, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Arts Beit al Hikma and are released once they have been IAP STATEMENT ON PROTECTION OF MARINE ENVIRONMENTS Environments Chinese Academy of Engineering Turkish Academy of Sciences endorsed by more than half the member Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical Uganda National Academy of Sciences academies of the network. & Natural Sciences Royal Society, UK Academia Nacional de Medicina de Colombia National Academy of Sciences of Uruguay Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) References: FAO, 2020. The State of World Fisheries and Photo: Wonjoon Shim Cuban Academy of Sciences Caribbean Academy of Sciences EASAC, 2016. Marine in an Aquaculture 2020. Sustainability in action. Czech Academy of Sciences Islamic World Academy of Sciences Age of Changing and Seas. Reports Rome. Available online; retrieved 9 June 2020: R. Roy Chowdhury, Y. J. Shin, I. J. Visseren- Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Global Young Academy and Statements, European Academies’ https://doi.org/10.4060/ca9229en Hamakers, K. J. Willis, and C. N. Zayas (eds.). Letters The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) The , connected over approximately 71% of the Earth’s surface, Science Advisory Council (EASAC). IPBES, 2019. Summary for Policymakers of the IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. 56 pages. Academia de Ciencias de la Republica World Academy of Art and Science Available online; retrieved 24 May 2020. Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and supports humankind. Human well-being and our economy have https://easac.eu/publications/details/ Ecosystem Services of the Intergovernmental Dominicana marine-sustainability-in-an-age-of- Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity Academy of Scientific Research and Working Group benefited from the ocean for oxygen to breathe, fish and seafood to eat, changing-oceans-and-seas/ and Ecosystem Services. S. Díaz, J. Settele, E. Technology, Egypt Suam Kim (Republic of Korea, chair) FAO, 2016. The FAO Agreement on Port State S. Brondízio E.S., H. T. Ngo, M. Guèze, J. Agard, Ethiopian Academy of Sciences Leif Anderson (Sweden) leisure and healing places to visit, seaways for transportation, and Measures (PSMA) to Prevent, Deter A. Arneth, P. Balvanera, K. A. Brauman, S. H. Council of Finnish Academies Antje Boetius (Germany) and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and M. Butchart, K. M. A. Chan, L. A. Garibaldi, K. the many jobs associated with ocean activities. However, unregulated Academie des Sciences, France Jaime Ricardo Cantera Kintz (Colombia) Unregulated Fishing. Available online; Ichii, J. Liu, S. M. Subramanian, G. F. Midgley, Academie Nationale de Medecine, France Luiz Drude de Lacerda (Brazil) retrieved 24 May 2020: Rome: FAO. P. Miloslavich, Z. Molnár, D. Obura, A. Pfaff, and excessive human activities and recent are causing http://www.fao.org/port-state-measures/en S. Polasky, A. Purvis, J. Razzaque, B. Reyers, Union of German Academies of Sciences Alaa Eldin Abdel-Mouty Mohamed Eissa This work is © the InterAcademy and Humanities (Egypt) Partnership and is licensed the deterioration of the marine environment, reducing biodiversity German National Academy of Sciences, Judith Gobin (Trinidad & Tobago) under Creative Commons and threatening its ecosystem services. Key areas of concern include: IPCC, 2019: IPCC Special Report on the Ocean Leopoldina Sung Yun Hong (Republic of Korea) Attribution 4.0 International and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate [H.O. Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences Jeffrey A. Hutchings (Canada) Pörtner, D.C. Roberts, V. Masson-Delmotte, Academia de Ciencias Medicas, Fisicas Lekelia Jenkins (USA) Additional copies of this statement • A healthy ocean is indispensable to both direct impacts (e.g. coastal are in need of immediate measures P. Zhai, M. Tignor, E. Poloczanska, K. y Naturales de Guatemala Monika Kedra (Poland) can be downloaded from: to human well-being and vitality development) and indirect impacts for protection, conservation and Mintenbeck, M. Nicolai, A. Okem, J. Petzold, B. Rama, N.W Weyer (eds.)]. Hungarian Academy of Sciences Youn-Ho Lee (Republic of Korea) www.interacademies.org/statement/ and to the homeostasis of life on (e.g. climate change, invasive species, rehabilitation. UNESCO, 2020a. Ocean Literacy Portal. Available Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Syed Wajih Ahmad Naqvi (India) protection-marine-environments Earth. Ocean health is threatened pollution). In particular, coastal • Anthropogenic environmental online; retrieved 16 May 2020: Republic of Iran Japhet Micheni Ntiba (Kenya) by excessive human activities and areas, including coral reefs, kelp contaminants continue to disrupt https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org Royal Irish Academy Hugh Possingham (Australia) has already been compromised on forests, mangroves, seagrass beds marine ecosystems. Accumulation of UNESCO, 2020b. United Nations Decade of Ocean Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities Yoshihisa Shirayama (Japan) Contacts many levels. Facilitation of holistic and intertidal mudflats, have suffered excessive nutrients, toxic chemicals, Science for Sustainable Development (2021- Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy Richard Thompson (UK) [email protected] ocean sciences and cooperation of from massive habitat degradation heavy metals, and marine debris 2030). Available online; accessed 24 May 2020:

2021 Science Council of Japan Jaehyoung Lee (Republic of Korea, diverse stakeholders are needed to and loss. This destruction increasingly including macro-, micro- and https://en.unesco.org/ocean-decade Kenya National Academy of Sciences KAST project manager) @IAPartnership understand complex processes in the extends to the deep sea. Multiple nano-plastics, destabilizes ecological National Academy of Sciences, Republic www.linkedin.com/company/ marine environment and to implement anthropogenic stressors damage processes, degrades natural resources of Korea IAP appreciates the initial contribution interacademypartnership solutions to protect and restore ocean ecosystem structure and function, and inflicts major economic losses. Korean Academy of Science and Technology of the Zero Draft Committee members https://tinyurl.com/IAPyoutube health. as well as the capacity for marine Strict controls for the management of Statements Lebanese Academy of Sciences (C. Brown, S. Kang, J.S. Khim, S. Kim, • The world’s oceans are experiencing habitats to provide ecosystem services. environmental contaminants should Photos: IAP/Peter McGrath Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Y-H. Lee and W. Shim) assigned by KAST www.interacademies.org extensive habitat destruction due Most of these sensitive habitats be implemented immediately. Statements 2021 IAP STATEMENT ON PROTECTION OF MARINE ENVIRONMENTS viable meansofenhancingbiodiversity, accepted worldwideasaneconomically example, MarineProtectedAreas are have substantialecologicalbenefits. For of theocean.Marineinterventions can interest inanddependenceonthestatus universal recognitionofourcommon A holisticapproachtotheoceanrequires data, informationandknowledge. sciences, withpublicaccesstoscientific of inclusiveandintegratedmarine ocean iscontingentonthedevelopment The recoveryandprotectionofthe an increasingimpactonoceanhealth. especially becauseclimatechangehas threats andeliminatedisruptions, to nurturetheocean’sresilience,remove highly recommended.Wehavelittletime appreciation ofoceanconservationis integrity. Consequently,ashared resources haveledtodecliningocean Exploitative approachestomarine health 1. Ocean •

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aquaculture productionareneeded. take zonestogetherwithsustainable the implementationofextensiveno recovery ofdepletedfishstocksthrough of thegrowinghumanpopulation current andfuturefoodrequirements decline offisheriesresources.Tomeet of worldfisheriesiscausingarapid mitigate andadapttoclimatechange. management strategieswillhelp atmosphere anddevelopmentofnew research ontheoceanand acidification. Interdisciplinary dioxide emissionsalsocauseocean tropical cyclones.Excessivecarbon intensification ofheatwavesand and alterationofmarinelife, of dissolvedoxygen,redistribution warming causessealevelrise,loss effects ofclimatechange.Ocean environment issubjecttoadverse climate change.Inreturn,themarine climate andprovidesabufferto The oceanregulatestheEarth’s nutritional security.Over-exploitation contributors tohumanfoodand Marine fisheriesareimportant

sea habitats.Coastalhabitatscontribute impacts alsothreatenpelagicand deep- socioeconomic consequences.These suffered ecologicallywithassociated and kelpmangroveforests, have reefs, oystertidalwetlands, such asestuaries,seagrassbeds,coral critically importantcoastalhabitats species andclimatechange.Accordingly, been damagedbypollution,invasive loss, manysensitiveecosystemshave growth. Inadditiontodirecthabitat expansion) andhumanpopulation intensified agricultureandurban to development(e.g.landreclamation, threatened byhabitatdestructiondue Coastal areashavelongbeen destruction Habitat 2. sciences isessential. among interdisciplinaryocean-related marine resources.Dynamiccooperation sustainable managementanduseof on theoceanandsubscribesto grasps thecompletenessofourreliance toward aglobalconstituencythatfully large-scale behaviouraltransformation (UNESCO, 2020a).Theobjectiveisa ocean atalllevelsthroughoutcultures Literacy forAllseeksappreciationofthe and shellfishstocks. and maintainingreplenishingfish and Technology (KIOST) The UNESCOphilosophyofOcean Photo: Unhyuk Yim Unhyuk Photo: Science Ocean of Institute © Korea debris, causeecologicalimpacts by which accountforupto80%of marine plastics intheoceanannually. Plastics, including over8milliontonnes of in theaccumulationofmarine debris, fisheries. health andcauseseconomiclossin commercial seafoodthreatenshuman substances, includingtoxicmetals,in bioaccumulation ofpersistentandtoxic is problematicglobally.Furthermore, transportation ofchemicalcontaminants Persistence andlong-range organisms andinhibittheirreproduction. can suppressthegrowthofmarine in mid-to-highertrophiclevels to humancasualties. produce toxinsthatmayevenlead marine life.Somealgalspeciesalso with massmortalityoffishandother leading totheexpansionofdead-zones, (eutrophication) causesalgalblooms activities andcoastalaquaculture matters fromterrestrialhuman Excess loadingofnutrientsandorganic contaminants 3. Environmental rehabilitated. must beprotectedand,inmanycases, integrity inthesemarinehabitats health andbiodiversity.Environmental are substantialdeterminantsofocean (IPBES, 2019).Nurseryareasinparticular of generationsmarineorganisms of biodiversityandtothesuccession substantially tothemaintenance Poor solidwastemanagementresults Biomagnification oftoxicsubstances

interfere withtheocean’scapacityfor and ecosystems.Thesechangescould circulation andmixing,biogeochemistry (IPCC, 2019).Climatechangealtersocean 1980s withenormousglobalimpacts anthropogenic CO2emissionssincethe The oceanhasabsorbed30%oftotal to combattheresultingclimatechange. goals andinternationalcollaboration global threatthatneedsambitious greenhouse gasesisrecognizedasa The continuousincreaseinatmospheric change Climate 4. food webs,andeveninthehumandiet. marine environment,including and nano-plasticsareeverywhereinthe propellers andcoolingsystems.Micro- and boats,obstructionofnautical of tourism,damagetofishinggear result ineconomiclossesduetodecline addition, marineplasticdebriscan compromised benthichabitats.In and non-indigenousspecies, organisms, dispersionofpathogens entanglement andingestionbymarine Photo: Hyun Woo Kim Woo Hyun Photo: © National Institute of Korea/ Science, Fisheries

require rethinkingourhusbandryof yields (84.4milliontonnesin2018)will increase. Maintainingevencurrent in thelate1980sandareunlikelyto pollution andgearabandonment. (IUU) fishing,habitatdegradation, from illegal,unreportedandunregulated FAO, 2020).Additionaldisruptionsresult maximum sustainablelevels(59.6%; either overfished(34.2%)orfishedat more than90%ofmarinestocksare Most fisheriesstocksarefullyexploited: Overexploitation 5. moderating globalwarming. matter throughphotosynthesis,thereby sequester carbonintheformoforganic nutrients, generateoxygen,and mangrove forests,whichutilizeexcess beds, saltmarshesandkelp measure istheprotectionofseagrass in theocean.Oneobviouspriority unprecedented andenduringchanges and coordinatedactiontoaddress of prioritizingtimely,ambitious (2019) highlightstheextremeurgency organisms. TheIPCCSpecialReport zones areuninhabitablebyaerobic Expanding oxygen-depleteddead- survival ofinnumerablemarineanimals. development, andthegrowth respiration, reproduction,early threatens carbonateshellsynthesis, in coastalareas.Oceanacidification threatening forthemanypeopleliving worldwide sealevelrisethatis In turn,theseprocessesleadto as wellthermalseawaterexpansion. to meltingofglaciersandpolaricecaps climate stability.Globalwarmingleads carbon storage,oxygengenerationand ecosystem servicessuchasfoodsupply, Capture fisheriesyieldsplateaued

requirements. Refinementofculture proportion ofhumanity’snutritional is expectedtomeetanincreasing 50% oftheseafoodweconsume,and 2020). Aquacultureisalreadydelivering expanding at5-6%annually(FAO, reached 114.5milliontonnesin2018, invertebrates andaquaticplants) environments (includingfish, nutrition (FAO,2020). people whodependonfisheriesfor management, threatening4.3billion has underminedsustainablefisheries to 25.9milliontonnes(FAO,2016)and be responsibleforannualcatchesofup ecosystems. IUUfishingisthoughtto pressure onalready-distressedmarine aquaculture feedsexertadditional unmarketable fishforagriculturaland heavy harvestsofyoungandotherwise in marinecommunities.Inaddition, biodiversity anddisruptiveimbalances predatory speciescausethelossof example, harvestsofhigher-value destabilize marineecosystems.For of organismsatonetrophiclevelcan ocean ecosystems.Thefocusedremoval Photo: Cheol Beom Kim Aquaculture productioninaquatic © National Institute of Korea/ Science, Fisheries

understood problems,manyofwhich ocean issubjecttocomplex,poorly- consideration thaneverbefore.The have leftouroceansmoreinneedof chronic disregardformarineecosystems impacts ofmultiplestressors,and resources andproducts,thecumulative Excessive exploitationofmarine Recommendations and 6. Conclusions marine stocks. relieve pressureonwild,overexploited conservation-sensitivity isnecessaryto practices towardsustainabilityand Photo: Deokbae Park (BBNJ) alsoseektheconservation of Biodiversity BeyondNationalJurisdiction and EcosystemServices(IPBES), and Science-Policy PlatformonBiodiversity Diversity (CBD),theIntergovernmental such astheConventiononBiological ocean’s ecosystemservices. and theessentialcontributionsof importance oftheoceantohumanity raise consciousnessaboutthevital Advancement of‘oceanliteracy’will (2021-2030; UNESCO,2020b). Science forSustainableDevelopment proclaiming theUNDecadeofOcean to solvethreatstheoceanby cooperation amongglobalcommunities nationalities tothehealthofocean. of currentandfuturegenerations new approach,andfreshcommitments calls foracomprehensiveandpervasive (EASAC, 2016).Thissituationurgently achieve asustainableuseoftheoceans policy-makers mustaddressishowto valid. Thefundamentalchallengethat with unlimitedresiliencearenolonger of theoceanasanimmenserealm of lifeonEarth.Earliermisconceptions threatening theintegrityandcontinuity interact withone-another,collectively Other internationalinitiatives The UnitedNationshasurged

• • • • • • • academies to: governments, NGOsandIAPmember InterAcademy Partnershipcallson targets. to ‘LifeBelowWater’withsevenspecific (SDG) #14oftheUN2030Agendarefers while SustainableDevelopmentGoal marine environmentsandbiodiversity,

intricate connectiontotheoceans the globalsocietytounderstandits Increase oceanliteracy,encouraging aquaculture. environmentally sensitivemarine IUU fisheries,andpromote strengthen enforcementagainst management ofcapturefisheries, Ensure improvedscientific livelihoods ofpeoplewhodepend life, therebyavoidingfailureinthe redistribution andchangeofmarine acidification, deoxygenationand change ontheoceanecosystemin of greenhousegasesandclimate Mitigate andadapttotheimpacts distributions, fatesandimpacts contaminants, addresstheir Assess sourcesofenvironmental sensitive marinehabitats. measures forcoastalandother Implement inclusiveprotection restore oceanhealthwithexpansion Coordinate actionstoprotectand policies anddecisions. for devisingsolutionsandmaking database thatisequitablyaccessible, international oceanknowledge of theocean,anddevelopan build comprehensiveunderstanding Share scientificinformationanddata, Through thisStatement,the and habitability. in maintainingEarth’sbiodiversity and torespecttheroleofoceans on theocean. to reducetheirmarineimpacts. contaminants intotheoceanand to eliminateentryofland-based on oceanhealth,anddevelopmeans at thescience-policyinterface. promote theexchangeofinformation ocean literacyandmechanismsto of researchcapacitydevelopment, © KIOST/Photo: Joon-Yeon Chung

Statements 2021 IAP STATEMENT ON PROTECTION OF MARINE ENVIRONMENTS