Report of the Eastern Tropical and Temperate Pacific Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically Or Biologically Significant Marine Areas1,2
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CBD Distr. GENERAL UNEP/CBD/RW/EBSA/ETTP/1/4 23 June 2013** ORIGINAL: SPANISH AND ENGLISH EASTERN TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP TO FACILITATE THE DESCRIPTION OF ECOLOGICALLY OR BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT MARINE AREAS Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 28 to 31 August 2012 REPORT OF THE EASTERN TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE PACIFIC REGIONAL WORKSHOP TO FACILITATE THE DESCRIPTION OF ECOLOGICALLY OR BIOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT MARINE AREAS1,2 INTRODUCTION 1. At its tenth meeting, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) requested, in decision X/29 (paragraph 36), the Executive Secretary to work with Parties and other Governments as well as competent organizations and regional initiatives, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), regional seas conventions and action plans, and, where appropriate, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), with regard to fisheries management, to organize, including the setting of terms of reference, a series of regional workshops, with a primary objective to facilitate the description of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas through the application of scientific criteria in annex I of decision IX/20 as well as other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria, as well as the scientific guidance on the identification of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction, which meet the scientific criteria in annex I to decision IX/20. 2. In the same decision (paragraph 41), the Conference of the Parties requested that the Executive Secretary make available the scientific and technical data and information and results collated through the workshops referred to above to participating Parties, other Governments, intergovernmental agencies and the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) for their use according to their competencies. 3. The Conference of the Parties at its tenth meeting also requested the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with Parties and other Governments, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization–Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO–IOC), in particular the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), and other competent organizations, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre - United Nations Environment 1 This is not an official translation. It is a courtesy of the Secretariat. Material in some annexes is provided in English or Spanish only. 2 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this note do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. ** Reposted on 23 June with technical changes on pages 107-127. /... In order to minimize the environmental impacts of the Secretariat’s processes, and to contribute to the Secretary-General’s initiative for a C-Neutral UN, this document is printed in limited numbers. Delegates are kindly requested to bring their copies to meetings and not to request additional copies. UNEP/CBD/RW/EBSA/ETTP/1/4 Page 2 Programme (UNEP-WCMC) and the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI), to establish a repository for scientific and technical information and experience related to the application of the scientific criteria on the identification of ecologically or biologically significant areas (EBSAs) in annex I of decision IX/20, as well as other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria that shares information and harmonizes with similar initiatives, and to develop an information-sharing mechanism with similar initiatives, such as FAO’s work on vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) (paragraph 39, decision X/29). 4. The Conference of the Parties at its tenth meeting requested the Subsidiary Body to prepare reports based on scientific and technical evaluation of information from the workshops, setting out details of areas that meet the criteria in annex I to decision IX/20 for consideration and endorsement in a transparent manner by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, with a view to including the endorsed reports in the repository referred to in paragraph 39 of decision X/29 and to submit them to the United Nations General Assembly and particularly its Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group, as well as relevant international organizations, Parties and other Governments (paragraph 42, decision X/29). 5. Pursuant to the above request and with financial support from the Government of Japan, through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, the Executive Secretary convened, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Permanent Commission for the South Pacific (CPPS) and hosted by the Government of Ecuador, the Eastern Tropical and Temperate Pacific Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas, in Galapagos, Ecuador, from 28 to 31 August 2012. It was held immediately following a training workshop on EBSAs that was convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in collaboration with the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (27 August in Galapagos, Ecuador). 6. Technical support was engaged by the CBD Secretariat, with the financial support of the Government of Japan, through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, for the collection, compilation, analysis, synthesis and mapping of the relevant scientific information in order to facilitate the deliberation of the workshop in describing areas meeting scientific criteria for ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). The results of this technical preparation were made available in the meeting document UNEP/CBD/RW/EBSA/ETTP/1/2. 7. The meeting was attended by experts from Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/USA, Permanent Commission for the South Pacific (CPPS) Secretariat, South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization, Corredor Marino del Pacifíco Este Tropical, Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI), IUCN-WCPA, BirdLife International, Galapagos National Park, Instituto de Fomento Pesquero/CPPS, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso/CPPS, Universidad Católica del Norte de Chile/CPPS, Duke University (technical support team), Conservation International-Ecuador and WWF. The full list of participants is attached as annex I. ITEM 1. OPENING OF THE MEETING 8. On behalf of the CPPS Secretariat, Mr. Marcelo Nilo welcomed the participants, noting particular milestones and recent activities of CPPS, such as the 60-year institutional life of the organization and the approval of the new organizational structure with a new vision, mission and strategic objectives. Mr. Nilo made reference to the document called: “Compromiso de Galápagos para el Siglo XXI” (Galapagos commitment for the 21st Century), which was agreed and signed by the Foreign Ministers of the CPPS countries (Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru). Among the commitments of this document is the implementation of the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011 – 2020, in particular achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets related to fisheries resources, vulnerable ecosystems and marine protected areas; another commitment is to ensure that marine and coastal ecosystems continue to provide essential services for the welfare of the people in the region. In addition, Mr. Nilo stressed the willingness of CPPS countries to act in a coordinated manner with the international community, in the conservation of /... UNEP/CBD/RW/EBSA/ETTP/1/4 Page 3 biodiversity of marine ecosystems in areas beyond national jurisdiction, in accordance with international law. 9. Mr. David Cooper (Principal Officer, Scientific, Technical and Technological Matters at the CBD Secretariat), on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Mr. Braulio Dias, delivered an opening statement. Mr. Cooper thanked the CPPS Secretariat for its collaboration in organizing the workshop, and thanked the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park for hosting it. Mr. Cooper mentioned that world leaders recently recognized, at Rio+20, the important role of biodiversity to ensure sustainable development. They also took note of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including target 6 on sustainable fisheries and target 11 on protected areas, including marine protected areas. These targets were also acknowledged by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CPPS countries. Mr. Cooper made reference to decision X/29 and to the EBSA process. To conclude his statement, he wished participants success in their discussions, so that these could be useful to the region’s efforts in the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity. 10. On behalf of the Government and Ministry of Environment of Ecuador, through the Directorate of Galapagos National Park and the Division of Marine and Coastal Management, Mr. Gustavo Iturralde, welcomed participants. In his statement he mentioned that the countries represented at the workshop are primarily marine, and dependent on the oceans, the health of the ecosystems, and the services that these provide. In addition, he stated that marine