Climate Change – Ocean Equity Research

WCPFC and the new BBNJ Agreement: Join Us for a Lunchtime Side-Event at WCPFC22

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 04:48:31 +0000

The Australian delegation to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), together with the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS), is pleased to host a lunchtime discussion on the new Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) and its connections with tuna fisheries governance in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

Monday, 1 December 2025
12:45pm

As the BBNJ Agreement races toward entry into force in January 2026, WCPFC members are entering a crucial period for shaping how this global ocean treaty will interact with regional fisheries management.

Adopted in June 2023 under UNCLOS, the BBNJ Agreement is the first comprehensive framework dedicated to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. With 75 ratifications (as of 24 November 2025), the treaty will enter into force on 17 January 2026. The final Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) meeting ahead of COP1 is scheduled for March 2026.

This side-event will:

Explore the BBNJ Agreement and its linkages with WCPFC
Feature insights from government and non-government experts
Invite questions and discussion from all WCPFC participants

ANCORS has also produced an information paper to support conversations at WCPFC22 — summarised below — and has released podcast episodes via the Negotiating the Ocean series on Spotify.

Information Paper Highlights

The WCPFC and the BBNJ Agreement

This paper outlines how the four BBNJ pillars intersect with WCPFC responsibilities:

Marine Genetic Resources — Fishing is excluded, except where catch is used for genetic R&D, triggering BBNJ data-sharing obligations.
ABMTs / MPAs — Direct relevance for spatial management in areas beyond national jurisdiction. WCPFC expertise will be critical in scientific input, proposal consultations, and implementation.
Environmental Impact Assessments — New transparency, notification, and monitoring requirements for activities in new regions, depths, or targeting new species.
Capacity Building & Technology Transfer — Future opportunities to strengthen monitoring, scientific capability, and data systems across the Western Central Pacific Ocean.

Most importantly, BBNJ embeds cooperation and coordination with existing bodies — including RFMOs — ensuring efforts complement rather than conflict. Early engagement by WCPFC members will help shape an approach that fits Pacific priorities.

Link to document: https://meetings.wcpfc.int/node/28298

Looking Ahead

The imminent entry into force of BBNJ marks a major moment for ocean governance. WCPFC plays a central role in managing tuna and ecosystem health in ABNJ, and now has the opportunity to help shape how the new global framework works in practice.

We hope you can join us for this timely discussion.

Lunchtime Side-Event — Monday 1 December, 12:45pm
We look forward to seeing you there!

Highlights from the 2025 Shanghai Pacific Fisheries Symposium (8-10 October)

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 00:20:07 +0000

In an era of rapid ocean change, effective management of Pacific tuna fisheries depends on robust science, informed policy, and genuine international collaboration. From 8–10 October 2025, more than forty researchers, scientists, and policy experts gathered in Shanghai for the second Shanghai Pacific Fisheries Symposium, a meeting aimed at strengthening the science-policy interface in Pacific fisheries.

The symposium, co-hosted by Shanghai Ocean University (SHOU), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS). Over three days, participants shared new research, discussed pressing challenges, and identified opportunities to deepen scientific cooperation and policy collaboration across the Pacific region.

Held at the Shanghai Royal Garden Hotel, with a tour of SHOU’s state-of-the-art facilities—including its fisheries museum, research laboratories, fishing technology tanks, and training centres—the event showcased the university’s commitment to marine science and its growing leadership in Pacific fisheries research.

Representatives came from across the region, including SHOU, SPC, ANCORS, Solomon Islands National University (SINU), the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), the Vanuatu Fisheries Department, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). Together, they explored how advancing fisheries science can inform equitable and sustainable governance of the Pacific’s most valuable shared resource—its tuna stocks.

Opening the symposium, Professor Luo Yi, Vice President of Shanghai Ocean University, welcomed participants and emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration between the Pacific and China. This theme of cooperation was echoed in the keynote address by Dr Transform Aqorau, Vice-Chancellor of the Solomon Islands National University and one of the Pacific’s leading fisheries policy voices. In his address, “From the Pacific to the World: Navigating Global Policy Currents in the Governance of Tuna Fisheries in Pacific Island States,” Dr Aqorau highlighted the region’s influence on global fisheries policy.

Theme 1: Biological and Ecological Studies of Pacific Tunas

The symposium’s first thematic session, chaired by Professor Fan Zhang (SHOU), focused on advancing understanding of tuna biology and ecology. These studies are critical for refining stock assessments and predicting how tuna populations respond to environmental variability and climate change.

Presentations explored topics such as the mechanisms of El Niño effects on skipjack tuna population dynamics (Qinqin Lin, SHOU), population structure of South Pacific albacore associated with distinct spawning habitats (Dongqi Lu, SHOU), and how spatial-temporal fishing strategies influence catch composition in FAD-associated purse seine fisheries (Cheng Zhou, SHOU).

Discussions also addressed the improving quality of AIS data (Xin Cheng, SHOU), the relationship between fleet size and catch productivity (Hongyu Lin, SHOU), and carbon emission assessments in Chinese longline vessels (Xiaoci Wu, SHOU). The session concluded with an analysis by Dr Joe Scutt Phillips (SPC) on how heterogeneous ocean environments shape biological parameters in Pacific tunas.

Collectively, these studies showed the growing integration of ecological modelling, technological innovation, and environmental monitoring in fisheries science. As Pacific tuna species experience shifting distributions and changing productivity patterns, this body of research will be essential to adapt fisheries management approaches.

Theme 2: Stock Assessment and Management Strategy Evaluation

The second session, chaired by Dr Graham Pilling (SPC), turned to the quantitative side of fisheries science: stock assessment and management strategy evaluation (MSE). With growing data complexity and ecological uncertainty, developing reliable models for tuna population dynamics and management performance remains a cornerstone of fisheries governance.

Presentations by scientists from SHOU and the IATTC showcased recent innovations in modelling approaches. Haikun Xu (IATTC) presented on “Joint Modelling of Multiple Longline Fleets to Improve Indices of Abundance for Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean”, while Shiyu Yang (SHOU) discussed environmental drivers of catchability using advanced statistical models such as VAST and sdmTMB. Rujia Bi (IATTC) highlighted the potential of integrating CPUE and length composition data across gear types using spatiotemporal frameworks, offering new ways to improve data standardization and reduce uncertainty.

From the policy side, Yanan Li (SHOU) evaluated the effectiveness of catch limits for longline fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific, while Dr Carolina Minte-Vera (IATTC) examined the role of conceptual models in improving assessment transparency and communication.

Closing the session, Dr Graham Pilling (SPC) addressed the perennial challenge of uncertainty—from assessments to harvest strategies—while Nan Yao (SPC) tested whether CPUE projections are realistic through hindcasting analyses. The session concluded with Robert Scott (SPC) presenting on the critical task of incorporating climate change impacts into harvest strategies to ensure resilience under changing ocean conditions.

Together, these presentations showed how modern fisheries science is evolving to meet new challenges—integrating environmental data, improving modelling techniques, and developing adaptive management tools that can respond to ecological and climatic variability.

Theme 3: Global Policy Drivers for Pacific Tuna Fisheries

The symposium’s final session, chaired by Professor Quentin Hanich (ANCORS), brought science and policy together, examining how global governance, environmental change, and social equity intersect in Pacific tuna fisheries.

Dr Xiaolin Chu (SHOU) opened with an overview of China’s evolving approach to managing its pelagic tuna fisheries, highlighting challenges and pathways toward sustainable reform. Dr Johann Bell (ANCORS) followed with a presentation on the nutritional benefits of increasing tuna access for Pacific Island food systems, linking fisheries policy to human health and food security. Building on this, Dr Kate Barclay (UTS) discussed the socioeconomic monitoring of tuna industry development benefits, while Max Gillespie (FFA) presented a regional analysis of the economic impacts of climate change on Pacific tuna fisheries. Dr Kamal Azmi (ANCORS) proposed that transferable fishing rights could offer a robust response to climate-induced shifts in tuna distribution.

Several presentations examined broader governance issues. Yuru He (SHOU) analysed the potential catalytic effect of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Advisory Opinion on decarbonising high seas fisheries, while Sunnefa Yeatman Omarsdottir (ANCORS) introduced a perspective on reducing underwater noise pollution through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs).

Bianca Haas (ANCORS) addressed the persistent challenge of crew welfare and labour conditions in industrial fisheries, and Prof. Hanich concluded the session with an exploration of the evolution of allocation mechanisms in transboundary fisheries—from theoretical economics to pragmatic governance solutions.

This rich and diverse discussion underscored that Pacific tuna fisheries governance is not just a scientific or economic issue—it is a matter of social equity, climate resilience, and global environmental justice.

From Symposium to Scientific Synthesis

The 2025 Shanghai Pacific Fisheries Symposium concluded with a forward-looking commitment: to translate these discussions into tangible outputs that inform both science and policy.

Participants agreed to prepare a special issue in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, co-edited by Prof. Fan Zhang (SHOU), Dr Graham Pilling (SPC), and Prof. Quentin Hanich (ANCORS). The publication will consolidate key research findings from the symposium and aims to be distributed at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) 2026 meeting, providing valuable insights to decision-makers and stakeholders across the region.

Looking ahead, SHOU, SPC, and ANCORS plan to build on this growing partnership by convening a third symposium in late 2026, strengthening scientific cooperation and dialogue between China and the Pacific.

A Model for Collaborative Ocean Governance

The Shanghai Pacific Fisheries Symposium series represents more than an academic gathering, through linking leading institutions in Asia and the Pacific, the symposium promotes shared responsibility for the use of marine resources. As global ocean governance faces unprecedented challenges—from climate change and biodiversity loss to social inequality and technological disruption—these networks of collaboration are vital. They ensure that the best available science informs policy, that Pacific voices remain central to global discussions, and that the next generation of scientists and policy makers are equipped to navigate the intersection of environment, economy, and equity.

About the Organisers

Shanghai Ocean University (SHOU) – A leading Chinese university in marine and fisheries sciences, with growing partnerships across the Pacific.
The Pacific Community (SPC) – The region’s principal scientific and technical organisation, supporting sustainable development across Pacific Island countries and territories.
ANCORS, University of Wollongong – Australia’s premier academic centre for ocean governance, law of the sea, and maritime policy.

Together, these institutions are shaping a future where scientific collaboration underpins equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient fisheries management across the Pacific.

Making waves at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:32:15 +0000

By Bianca Haas, Eric van Doorn, and Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki

Between the 9 – 13 of June 2025, the ocean community went on a pilgrimage to the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), co-organised by Costa Rica and France, in Nice, France. This conference aimed to bring together all actors to accelerate actions to conserve and sustainably use the ocean. Among those thousands of participants were ANCORS researchers, Anais Remont, Bianca Haas, Dominique Benzaken, Erik van Doorn, and Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki. Besides current researchers, ANCORS was well represented through numerous ANCORS alumni (see, for example, below). Overall, this conference allowed actors from all across the world to reconnect or form new partnerships, which will hopefully result in actions to protect our ocean.

ANCORS researchers actively contributed to side events during UNOC. Below you will find a brief overview of these engagements.

Planetary boundaries

Dr Erik van Doorn co-organised a session in the European Digital Ocean Pavilion about the increased importance of the ocean in the planetary boundary’s framework. Together with Ellycia Harrould-Kolieb from the University of Melbourne, his presentation focused on the links of the framework with multilateral environmental agreements. To keep the Earth liveable for current and future generations, scientists proposed the idea of planetary boundaries. They identified nine processes of the Earth system for which they quantified a boundary, some of which have a clear marine component. Staying within these nine planetary boundaries would assure ‘a safe operating space for humanity’. Of the nine process, stratospheric ozone depletion and atmospheric loading currently lack an obvious connection with marine governance. This is very different for climate change and acidification of the ocean. Change in land use, freshwater use, biogeochemical flows and novel entities all have a terrestrial component. Most of the marine pollution comes from land, however, but the international marine governance of land-based pollution is relatively weak. Plastics comprise a category of novel entities, one that is not yet subject to a specific global regime as such but will be soon. Plastics can also contribute to climate change as a process, establishing a link between the planetary boundaries for novel entities and climate change. There now exist legal bases for the conservation of marine biosphere integrity now both within as well as beyond national jurisdiction. The session attracted an in-person audience of around fifty people and more than 400 hundred on-line.

Science for the implementation of the new Ocean Treaty

Dr Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki was invited to a roundtable to speak about the role of science for the implementation of the new ocean treaty, alongside other experts on the Agreement for Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), including Prof. Lisa Levin from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Angelique Pouponneau, the lead negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States in the BBNJ process, Prof. Alice Vadrot, political scientist at the University of Vienna and Prof. Murray Roberts from the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki pointed to the diversity of science and existing inequalities between the Global North and the Global South, which the BBNJ agreement will need to address and highlighted the value of cooperation in data collection and sharing among different organisations in areas beyond national jurisdiction. While science is crucial for the implementation of the new Ocean Treaty, yet, the areas of the ocean that are chosen to explore, the methods that are used, and the research questions asked differ across the world. Currently, there is a bias towards science from the Global North. There is a need to reflect on these realities in the implementation of the new agreement and when designing the new Scientific and Technical Body. The new Treaty is an opportunity to create a more inclusive knowledge base for ocean governance. Other frameworks and bodies, providing satellite, environmental, or bycatch data and information about human activities, can support the new treaty and offer an opportunity for scientific collaborations. The round table was hosted by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance, and the University of Bergen.

Human Rights at Sea

Dr Bianca Haas was invited by CEDMAR, the Centre for Studies on the Law of the Sea at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, to talk about the role of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) in supporting human rights. Alongside leading experts on human rights at sea, this event aimed to raise awareness of the importance of human rights at sea and the need to develop a more integrated approach that includes human rights across different human activities. To support this call for integration, the organisers developed the Nice Declaration on Human Rights at Sea that aims to achieve universal participation and engagement through 22 principles.

Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and the High Seas Treaty

ANCORS also co-organised an event on multi-stakeholder cooperation for the high seas at the Beyond Borders Pavilion. This event was led by the High Seas Alliance, Pew Charitable Trusts, Sargasso Sea Commission, and the Tara Ocean Foundation, showcasing the voices and roles of different sectors and communities governing areas beyond national jurisdiction to ensure a more harmonious coordination and cooperation. ANCORS and the Pew Charitable Trust organised a segment, focusing on the role of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) in supporting the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement. Nichola Clark from the Pew Charitable Trust, Bronwen Golder from the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, and Hussain Sinan from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, Maldives, talked about the challenges and opportunities for RFMOs under the BBNJ Agreement, what needs to be done to make RFMOs “BBNJ-ready” and BBNJ “RFMO-ready”, and how RFMOs and BBNJ can complement each other.

Conclusion

UNOC 3 is celebrated as a great success with a boost in commitments to conserve and sustainably use the ocean. It provided a fantastic opportunity to meet and share ideas with experts from around the world. Moving forward, we hope that these commitments are not only hollow words, but that we see real actions.

Episode 8 – United Nations Ocean Conference

Wordify Dev — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:04:34 +0000

Episode 8 - United Nations Ocean Conference

In celebration of World Ocean Day (8th June), join us at UNOC3 as we reflect on the beauty and the importance of the ocean to all of us

The 8th of June is World Ocean Day – a day to celebrate the ocean and to address the challenges that the ocean faces from human activities, such as overexploitation, pollution, and climate change.

We just released a new episode that dives into the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) and reflects on the beauty and the importance of the ocean to all of us – no matter if we live close to the ocean, or far away.

What does the ocean mean to us?
How is the ocean important to landlocked countries?
What can we expect from the upcoming UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice?

Access the new episode here: Episode 8- The United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC)

Join us with our guests:

Minna Epps, IUCN

Fabienne McLellan, Ocean Care

Pradeep Singh, Ozeano Azul Foundation

Maila Guilhon, Ocean Voices Programme

Hosts: Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki⁠⁠⁠& Jennifer Macey⁠⁠⁠

Sound design and editing: EmilyPerkins⁠⁠⁠⁠

Communication: Sunnefa Yeatman⁠⁠⁠

For comments & feedback please contact: inatvw@uow.edu.au ⁠⁠⁠

Find out more:

ANCORS Ocean Equity page: https://oceanequityresearch.org/

ANCORS at the University of Wollongong: https://www.uow.edu.au/ancors/

International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN): https://iucn.org/

OceanCare: https://www.oceancare.org/

Oceano Azul Foundation: https://oceanoazulfoundation.org/

Ocean Voices Programme: https://ocean-voices.ed.ac.uk/

The ANCORS team will be participating at UNOC. Feel free to reach out and connect.

ANCORS involvement with UNOC:

Nice Declaration – Human Rights at Sea, June 10, 3-5pm, 18 avenue Jean Médecin

From Treaty to Action: Multi-Stakeholder Cooperation for the High Seas 11 June, 4-6pm. La Baleine

Ocean Futures 2030: addressing the gaps in implementing the BBNJ agreement, 12 June, 12-1 pm at the Best Western Plus Hôtel Massena Nice, 58, rue Gioffredo, 06000 Nice

From Policy to Practice: Highlights from Niue’s FFC Pre-Week

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Tue, 27 May 2025 00:11:49 +0000

Professor Quentin Hanich and Constance Rambourg attended the pre-FFC week, held in the lead-up to the 138th Annual Officials Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee (FFC) in Alofi, Niue. From the 6^th to the 9^th of May, 80 officials and delegates from the 17 Members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) attended a series of pre-FFC meetings, preparing for the formal meeting in the following week. These meetings discussed a range of critical topics, including; climate resilience strategies; a review of the FFA’s performance; regional and subregional priorities; as well as cooperation under the Niue Treaty Subsidiary Agreement (NTSA).

During this pre-week, Constance and Quentin convened a short workshop that discussed a new ANCORS research project funded by the Australian Research Council, titled Law and Policy Frameworks for Remote Sensing in Maritime Enforcement, and led by Professor Stuart Kaye. This project aims to assist the development of essential legal and policy frameworks, as well as build the domestic capacity needed for FFA members to effectively utilise remote sensing technologies (RSTs) in enforcing fisheries laws and regulations within their maritime jurisdictions. The workshop provided an opportunity to present the project’s goals, timelines, and intended outcomes to FFA delegates and officials. Members were invited to provide feedback and explore further collaboration from interested potential partners, fostering opportunities for continued engagement and development. On the sidelines of the FFC pre-week, Constance and Quentin also met with Niue government officials and FFA members to discuss the project and prioritise the research focus and outputs.

Following the conclusion of the FFC pre-week, Constance and Quentin attended an exciting presentation of Niue’s innovative approach to ocean management and conservation financing, before Constance flew home and Quentin remained to advise the Government of Niue on its engagement in FFA matters. Constance and Quentin are highly grateful to Niue for its generous and professional hosting of the FFC meetings, and inclusion of the ARC research workshop in their busy agenda, and hugely impressed with Niue’s innovative and creative approach to ocean management and community engagement.

‘Negotiating the Ocean’ on ABC Illawara Radio

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 08:27:59 +0000

To listen to the radio show here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/illawarra-mornings/mornings/105111484

ANCORS researchers Dr. Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki, Dr. Bianca Haas and podcast producer Jennifer Macey gave an interview with the local radio show ABC Illawarra this morning about their new Podcast: Negotiating the Ocean. The Morning show presented by Nick Rheinberger reports on the local stories of the day, and keeps up to date with everything that’s happening in the Illawarra Region.

‘Negotiating the Ocean’, Launch of new ANCORS Ocean Equity Podcast

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 00:54:10 +0000

To listen to Negotiating the Ocean, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ygQz4DwYEBWOBMxFm46RV?si=63b64870b4544925

The Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) is hosting a new Podcast on Ocean Equity: Negotiating the Ocean. It will cover various international ocean negotiations, particularly on Marine Biodiversity, Fisheries and Deep-Sea Mining.

Ocean negotiations are necessary to ensure the effective management of transboundary marine resources, and the conservation and protection of deep-sea marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Marine biodiversity, fisheries, deep-sea mining, climate change, and pollution are all inherently international and require cooperation at multiple levels. In an interconnected ocean, governance cannot be successful when conducted in silos and the complexity of ocean governance with its multiple actors can be difficult to grasp. The podcast informs listeners about current issues and connects the different negotiation fora where decisions on the future of our ocean are taken, explores equity concerns and provides recommendations for a transformative future ocean governance.

This podcast is an open-source discussion on current negotiations, enabling a more inclusive understanding for those who cannot attend international meetings, as well as providing an information base for new diplomats, representatives of different intergovernmental organisations and researchers with an interest in ocean-related negotiations. We intend for the podcast to provide a refresher on individual topics and valuable preparation for those involved or interested in understanding how these topics matter to each and every one of us and what is at stake.

Hosts:

Jennifer Macey , Podcast Producer & Journalist
Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki , Ocean Nexus Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ANCORS
Bianca Haas , ANCORS Research Fellow

In the first episode we meet some of the ANCORS researchers working on different aspects of Ocean Equity.

What does Ocean Equity mean to them and why is it so important in ocean negotiations?

In this Episode you will meet ANCORS researchers…

‘Equity is not just an outcome but a process. It’s an ongoing activity.’

Quentin Hanich, Professor at ANCORS, leading the Fisheries Governance Program

‘Four key principles of ocean equity… achieving fairness, respecting rights, preventing harm, supporting flourishing.’

Michelle Voyer, Assoc.-Professor at ANCORS, leading the Blue Futures Program

‘I’m really motivated by that idea of intergenerational equity. […] I think that is such a responsibility that we have to try and do what we can now to minimise that impact for the countless millions of people that are still ahead of us to live their lives.’

Freya Croft, Post-doctoral Researcher, ANCORS

‘In the regime on deep-seabed mining ocean equity is about collective resource management and the sharing of benefits. […] My work looks at how to make sure that the management of deep ocean mineral resources is based on good governance principles, such as transparency and public participation.’

Aline Jaeckel, Associate Professor at ANCORS

‘The big equity issue that we face at the moment is climate change.’

Kamal Azmi, Senior Research Fellow, ANCORS & Coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management and Development

‘Ocean equity is where there is a platform for voices to not only be heard but validated. […] In western scholarship, we are very much trained to maintain an objective perspective, which has a tendency to disconnect us from our environment and the ocean. In other cultures, this disconnection does not always exist, but the connection is very much alive.’

Randa Sacedon, ANCORS Research Fellow

‘I feel like it’s such a little thing to give back by just working in this space and making sure that I advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves, both human and non-human.’

Makrita Solitei, Associate Research Fellow, ANCORS

To listen to Negotiating the Ocean, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ygQz4DwYEBWOBMxFm46RV?si=63b64870b4544925

Book Chapter – Security Cooperation and Fisheries in the Pacific

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:03:54 +0000

Book Chapter - Security Cooperation and Fisheries in the Pacific

By Bianca Haas, Kamal Azmi, Kerrie Robertson, Transform Aqorau, and Quentin Hanich

Pacific small island developing states (SIDS) and territories are highly dependent on an ocean-based economy provided by their large exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and face challenges such as climate change, access to markets, economic development, governance, security and transnational crime.

Dr Bianca Haas et al. argue that regional cooperation to address these challenges is essential to increase the capacity of Pacific states and territories. As large ocean states, these vast EEZs present SIDS and territories with a valuable asset and a formidable challenge. The sovereign rights over the living (e.g. fish, marine mammals) and non-living resources (e.g. oil, minerals) of their EEZs provide Pacific Island states and territories with tremendous opportunities to support their economic development.

The challenge for Pacific Island countries, therefore, is to secure and monitor the resources in their EEZs and to manage them sustainably and equitably for the long-term benefit of their people. In their new book chapter, Haas et al. provide an overview of how SIDS and territories are tackling fisheries-related security challenges and summarise challenges and opportunities in addressing fisheries-related security threats in the Pacific region.

The book chapter is available online in Security Cooperation in the Pacific Islands and can be downloaded from:

https://www.routledge.com/Security-Cooperation-in-the-Pacific-Islands-Politics-Priorities-and-Pathways-of-the-Regional-Security-Patchwork/Wallis-McNeill-Batley-Powles/p/book/9781041011125.

The Honiara Summit: Love in a Warm Climate

Sunnefa Yeatman Ómarsdóttir — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 00:49:34 +0000

By Kamal Azmi

I have had a few days to digest the Honiara Summit, which I attended on 24-27 February in Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands. Over 300 delegates packed the impressive (but warm) Friendship Hall for three days to discuss progress towards SDG 14 (Life Below Water), Target 14.4, on sustainable fisheries. It also managed to narrowly avoid its own tragedy of the commons (more on that later).

Target 14.4

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

While most of the event covered familiar ground – sustainability of fish stocks, climate change, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, monitoring control and surveillance and, of course, the importance of fisheries and healthy oceans to the peoples of the Pacific – the aim was clearly to build momentum toward the third UN Oceans Conference, which will be held in Nice in June.

The Summit brought together fisheries experts and stakeholders, including five heads of state/government and 10 ministers, from the region and the world. It was jointly hosted by the Solomon Islands Government and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), in close collaboration with the FAO and Ambassador Peter Thompson, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Oceans.

Pacific Island countries are rightly proud of their achievements in sustainable fisheries management and the benefits to be gained through cooperation. As large ocean states they are the biggest contributor to global tuna catches, which in turn bring vital revenue and employment to their economies and communities. This also makes them vulnerable to threats such as climate change and IUU fishing.

As small island developing states, they recognise that they need to speak loudly and together to ensure their voices are heard and their interests are protected. Climate change, for instance, is predicted to have a substantial impact on the distribution of tuna stocks over the coming decades. And impacts are already being seen on coastal stocks, particularly in reef fisheries, which are essential sources of food security for Pacific Island communities.

Speaking of climate change, the Summit followed hot on the heels of the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) announcement of a US$107 million grant for climate change adaptation for tuna-dependent Pacific Island communities and economies. The grant will support the development of improved models to give advanced warning of climate impacts on tuna, and the enhancement of access to tuna for coastal and urban communities.

Yes, there were a lot of familiar platitudes but I think the Summit achieved its goal of amplifying Pacific voices and Pacific interests as we head toward the third UN Oceans Conference. A comprehensive outcomes statement captured the key points of discussion but there will also be a Leaders’ Communique of a more political nature, still to be released.

There was a lot of love in the room, for each other but also for the soft serve ice cream on offer in the meals area. It was a nice touch during a hot few days in Honiara. But when supplies ran out on day 2, I could see the tragedy of the commons unfolding before my eyes. Thankfully, participants’ excitement calmed by day 3 and we were back to a sustainable flow of the cold stuff. It seems everyone wins with cooperation.

Thinking Climate, Ocean, and Biodiversity Together: Introducing the New Marine Biodiversity Agreement to the Climate COP29

Bianca Haas — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 22:51:22 +0000

Access the ANCORS Virtual Booth between Nov 6^th– Nov 22^nd HERE and have a chat with the ANCORS representatives.

By Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki, Farjana Hossain, and Freya Croft

The United Nations meet in different fora to negotiate regulations on climate and biodiversity. A new Marine Biodiversity Agreement is an opportunity to think climate, ocean and biodiversity together.

This blog explains the interconnections between climate, ocean and biodiversity and highlights the importance of linking these topics in governance. It introduces the new legally-binding agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) and how it relates to the existing climate and biodiversity COPs and why it is important to link climate, ocean and biodiversity politics.

How the Ocean, Biodiversity and Climate are Connected

The ocean and climate change are strongly interlinked.[1] The ocean plays a crucial role as a heat and carbon sink and contributes to slowing down climate change significantly.[2] The Ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink and has already absorbed approximately 90 percent of the heat generated by rising temperatures.[3] This excessive heat absorption creates its own peril as rising temperature and increasing acidity make the seas uninhabitable to many living organisms, disrupt ocean currents and alter food webs.[4]

As the world’s largest ecosystem, the ocean offers livelihood to a myriad of marine species – many of which are not yet known to us.[5] Climate regulation relies significantly on abundant and diverse, healthy marine ecosystems. [6] For instance, the blue carbon ecosystems (e.g. mangroves and salt marshes) and some species (e.g. mesopelagic fish) are recognised for their ability to absorb carbon and play a crucial role in carbon mitigation.[7] Protecting blue carbon ecosystems or significant marine species can help build ecosystem resilience to climate change. [8]

Climate change, resulting in increased sea temperatures, ocean acidification and deoxygenation affects marine life.[9] [10] An increase in warming, ocean acidification and oxygen loss exemplify the risks of biodiversity loss or extinction, resulting in damage or loss of ecosystem services. [11] The loss of marine biodiversity undermines ecosystems’ ability to withstand disturbances, adapt to climate change and function as a global ecological and climate regulator. [12] Therefore, urgent action is necessary to build a nexus between climate and biodiversity regulations to protect marine biodiversity from climate change and help the ocean regulate the climate cycle.

Making MPAs “climate-smart”

One pillar of the BBNJ agreement is the establishment of Area-based Management Tools (ABMTs), including Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). It defines an MPA as:

“a geographically defined marine area that is designated and managed to achieve specific long-term biological diversity conservation objectives and may allow, where appropriate, sustainable use provided it is consistent with the conservation objectives.” (Art.1.9)

With the Global Biodiversity Framework,[16] governments have committed to protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 and have recently agreed on a new and evolved process to identify ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs).[17] MPAs are designed to maintain high biodiversity and habitat complexity, create opportunities for species to migrate, build ecosystem resilience and support species to adapt to climate change.[18]

Climate-smart MPAs protect or restore ecosystems to increase their resilience, i.e., the ecosystem’s ability to tolerate or adapt to climate-related ocean changes. [19] Some fundamental steps that a climate-smart MPA should include are: i) a clear conservation goal, ii) a vulnerability assessment, iii) climate change adaptation strategies and iv) continuous monitoring to understand the effectiveness of the conservation measures.[20]

The BBNJ Agreement provides a sound basis for including climate considerations in MPA design. ABMTs, including MPAs seek to enhance the productivity and health of ecosystems by strengthening resilience to stressors, including those related to climate change and ocean acidification (Art.17c). The BBNJ Agreement lists “vulnerability, including to climate change and ocean acidification” (Annex I, f), as well as “cumulative and transboundary impacts” (Annex I, q) as indicative criteria for the identification of areas. Parties are encouraged to set a clear conservation goal to develop ecosystem resilience to climate change (Art. 17c; 19.4e). The BBNJ Agreement requires MPA proposals to include a draft management plan outlining proposed monitoring, research, and review activities (Art. 17(4) (f)). A Scientific and Technical Body (STB) is tasked with monitoring and periodically reviewing the established MPAs (Art. 26.3). Based on the review report by the STB, the BBNJ COP will then discuss whether the existing MPAs should be amended, extended, or revoked (Art.26.5).

Considering climate change in Environmental Impact Assessments

The new Agreement lays out a detailed process about how to conduct environmental impact assessments (EIAs) in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The EIA process requires the analysis of potential impacts of the planned activities – including cumulative impacts (Art. 27c, 30ii; Art.38.1b) in the scoping (Art.31b), impact assessment and evaluation (Art.31c), as well as EIA reports (Art.33.2). Cumulative impacts include consequences of climate change, ocean acidification and related impacts (Art.1.6). As a study on including climate change considerations in national EIAs shows that most States have no such requirement, presumably due to the fact that EIA regulations date back to an era where climate change was not widely recognised.[21] The BBNJ agreement thus offers an opportunity to update requirements and contribute to more comprehensive assessments for long-term biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

Strengthening Capacities and Technology Transfer to Understand and Address Climate Change Impacts

The BBNJ agreement provides for capacity building and the transfer of marine technology (CBTMT) to developing countries. Types of CBTMT are specified and included to understand and be able to address impacts on marine biodiversity from adverse effects of climate change, such as warming, and ocean deoxygenation, as well as ocean acidification (Annex II). Not only are developing countries at a disadvantage regarding financial, scientific and technical capacities to study, explore and exploit the ocean,[22] they are also disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change, as seen in small island developing states affected by sea-level rise, and disastrous impacts on their livelihoods and economies from climate-change driven extreme weather events and changes in their environment.[23] This carries far-reaching equity concerns that go well beyond capacity building and the transfer of technology, because developing countries are facing ’loss and damage’ from climate change impacts that industrialised countries have caused.

Implications for institutional arrangements of BBNJ

Acknowledging the interconnection of climate, ocean and biodiversity, the STB will need to include knowledge on such connections and disciplines covering climate science. Cooperation with scientific bodies within and among institutions will be necessary for data sharing.

Cooperation between the COPs in the different fields of climate (under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change), biodiversity (under the Convention on Biological Diversity) and marine biodiversity (BBNJ) will be crucial. Spaces for knowledge exchange, such as the virtual pavilion, can be a start for further cooperation and collaboration among the different fora. States who are Parties to all three agreements will carry an important representation and communication role to ensure coherence in their implementation. Parties to BBNJ are required to promote the objectives of the BBNJ Treaty in decision-making processes of other fora (Art.8.2).

The BBNJ Agreement envisions a Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) to ensure a database for marine biodiversity. It will be important to include climate data and link to existing databases to support the implementation of the BBNJ agreement. Moreover, the Clearinghouse mechanism will also benefit overall knowledge sharing on the ocean, climate impacts and possible climate solutions. [24]

ANCORS Engagement at COP29

The ANCORS Ocean Equity Research and the Blue Futures Programs will contribute to the COP29 Virtual Ocean Pavilion, organised by the Global Ocean Forum and the Plymouth Marine Laboratory. Aims of the Pavilion are to raise the visibility of the ocean and its importance in climate negotiations. Being a free access online platform, it promotes inclusivity of actors around the world to share and access knowledge on the interlinkages of the ocean and climate.

The pavilion provides a communication platform for those unable to participate in COP29 in person from various parts of the world. It can highlight the importance of thinking climate, ocean, and biodiversity together for a coherent governance approach and supports cross-sectoral cooperation and collaboration on ocean-climate action at the national, regional, and global levels. The focus of this year’s Virtual Pavilion is the new BBNJ agreement and its possibilities to leverage the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus and accelerate the implementation of climate-ocean-biodiversity action.

Information at the virtual booth covers various topics at the Climate-Ocean Nexus:

The connection between the new BBNJ Treaty and climate change – The BBNJ Agreement recognises the connection between climate, ocean and biodiversity. Considerations of climate change will be integrated in EIAs and identification and establishment of ABMTs, including MPAs, as well as in the development of the scientific and technical body and the clearinghouse mechanism. BBNJ has the task to strengthen cooperation and coordination among different frameworks and bodies in areas beyond national jurisdiction – which will need to consider a connection to climate science and policy.
Climate-smart Marine Protected Areas – Marine Protected areas under the BBNJ can be designed “climate-smart”, to enhance ecosystem resilience against climate change impacts.
Climate change impacts on transboundary fish stocks – Climate change affects transboundary fish stocks. Therefore, climate considerations are important in fisheries science and management, as well as in political negotiations on allocations.
Solutions for Regional Fisheries Management Organisations and Small Island Developing State Actors to address climate change impacts in tuna fisheries (and economies) – Transboundary fisheries management requires cooperative responses to climate-driven redistributions of fish stocks. The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Vessel Day Scheme provide an example of cooperative fishery management in the Pacific.
Equitable and Translational Approaches to Research – The research of the Blue Futures Project explores the ways in which relational and collaborative approaches to environmental governance can be applied to support a local Blue Economy. Place-based approaches are employed that respect and prioritise Indigenous knowledges and community values to develop a vision for a future ocean and address complex challenges such as climate change.

Exhibited resources at the Virtual Booth on the Ocean-Climate-Biodiversity Nexus can be accessed and discussed with ANCORS authors:

Access the ANCORS Virtual Booth between Nov 6^th– Nov 22^nd HERE and have a chat with the ANCORS representatives Dr. Ina Tessnow-von Wysocki (BBNJ and climate), Farjana Hossain (climate-smart MPAs), Dr. Freya Croft (Blue Futures) and Prof. Johann Bell (climate change impacts on tuna fisheries).

References

[1] Daniel Bodansky, ‘The Ocean and Climate Change Law: Exploring the Relationship’ in Richard Barnes and Ronán Long (eds), Frontiers in International Environmental Law: Oceans and Climate Challenges: Essays in Honour of David Freestone (Brill | Nijhoff, 2021) p 316 .

[2]Ibid.

[3] United Nations, ‘How Is Climate Change Impacting the World’s Ocean’, United Nations .

[4] ‘Why Protecting the Ocean and Wetlands Can Help Fight the Climate Crisis’, UNEP (11 November 2022) .

[5] Danovaro R, Company JB, Corinaldesi C, D’Onghia G, Galil B, Gambi C, et al. (2010) Deep-Sea Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea: The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable. PLoS ONE 5(8): e11832. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011832

[6] ‘The Decline of Marine Biodiversity – Ocean & Climate Platform’ (16 March 2015) .

[7] Anne Merwin et al, ‘“Climate-Smart” Marine Protected Areas for Mitigation and Adaptation Policy’ [2020] Ocean Conservancy, Ocean and Climate Discussion Series p 20; Callum M Roberts et al, ‘Marine Reserves Can Mitigate and Promote Adaptation to Climate Change’ (2017) 114(24) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 6167.

[8] Anne Merwin et al, ‘“Climate-Smart” Marine Protected Areas for Mitigation and Adaptation Policy’ [2020] Ocean Conservancy, Ocean and Climate Discussion Series p 20; Callum M Roberts et al, ‘Marine Reserves Can Mitigate and Promote Adaptation to Climate Change’ (2017) 114(24) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 6167.

[9] Talukder, B, Ganguli, N, Matthew, R, vanLoon, GW, Hipel, KW & Orbinski, J 2022, ‘Climate change-accelerated ocean biodiversity loss & associated planetary health impacts’, The journal of climate change and health, vol. 6, pp. 100114-.

[10] Yadav, SS & Gjerde, KM 2020, ‘The ocean, climate change and resilience: Making ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction more resilient to climate change and other anthropogenic activities’, Marine policy, vol. 122, pp. 104184-.

[11] Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue 2023 (UNFCCC) p 10.

[12] ‘The Decline of Marine Biodiversity – Ocean & Climate Platform’ (n 5).

[13] 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, Adopted on 19 June 2023, UN Doc A/CONF.232/2023/4, (‘The BBNJ Agreement’). XXI-10 CTC (un.org)

[14] Chuanliang Wang, Min Wu. (2024). On the provisions of the BBNJ Agreement addressing the impacts of climate change. Marine Policy. Volume 171, 2025, 106429, ISSN 0308-597X. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106429.

[15] Morgera, E., McQuaid, K., La Bianca, G., Niner, H., Shannon, L., Strand, M., Rees, S., Howell, K., Snow, B., Lancaster, A. M. S., & Sauer, W. (2023). Addressing the Ocean-Climate Nexus in the BBNJ Agreement: Strategic Environmental Assessments, Human Rights and Equity in Ocean Science. The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law, 38(3), 447-479. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718085-bja10139

[16] Convention on Biological Diversitry. Post-2020 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. (2022). Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (cbd.int)

[17]Biodiversity COP 16: Important Agreement Reached Towards Goal of “Making Peace with Nature” – United Nations Sustainable Development

[18] Anne Merwin et al, ‘“Climate-Smart” Marine Protected Areas for Mitigation and Adaptation Policy’ [2020] Ocean Conservancy, Ocean and Climate Discussion Series.

[19] Anne Merwin et al, ‘“Climate-Smart” Marine Protected Areas for Mitigation and Adaptation Policy’ [2020] Ocean Conservancy, Ocean and Climate Discussion Series.

[20] Kristen L Wilson et al, ‘Incorporating Climate Change Adaptation into Marine Protected Area Planning’ (2020) 26(6) Global Change Biology 3251, p 3252, 3253.

[21] Mayembe, R, Simpson, NP, Rumble, O & Norton, M 2023, ‘Integrating climate change in Environmental Impact Assessment: A review of requirements across 19 EIA regimes’, The Science of the total environment, vol. 869, pp. 161850-.

[22] Harden-Davies, H., and Gjerde, K. M. (2019). Building scientific and technological capacity: a role for benefit- sharing in the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. Ocean Yearbook 33, 377–400. doi: 10.1163/9789004395633_015

[23] Adom, PK 2024, ‘The socioeconomic impact of climate change in developing countries over the next decades: A literature survey’, Heliyon, vol. 10, no. 15, pp. e35134-.

[24] Boettcher, Miranda, and Kerryn Brent. “The potential of the BBNJ clearing house mechanism to enhance knowledge pluralism in marine carbon dioxide removal assessment.” Frontiers in Climate 6: 1497476.