Montreal, 27 November 2001 (IUCN) - Improvements in international ocean governance are necessary to deal with fisheries depletion and deteriorating marine conditions, especially due to pollution, concludes a new IUCN report released today.
"Our oceans are slowly dying, and the instruments of governance are inadequate to stop it. There is more information, know-how, and resources to curtail adverse marine impacts, but no solution will stick without improvements in governance", says Lee Kimball, author of International Ocean Governance: Using International Law and Organizations to Manage Marine Resources Sustainably.
With half the world's population living on the coast, human impacts on the coastal/marine environment are growing. Activities on land, such as municipal sewage, agriculture runoff and industrial waste, account for 75 percent of marine pollution and are the main cause of damage to marine habitat. Sea-based activities, like offshore oil and gas development, pollution from ships, and waste disposal also contribute. These activities damage essential nurseries for marine species.
As little as five percent of marine life is known to scientists today, but it is disappearing at an unprecedented rate. For example, all seven species of sawfishes are listed on the 2000 IUCN Red List as either Endangered or Critically Endangered.
Worldwide consumption and trade in fish products places three-quarters of known fish stocks at risk, fueled by excess fishing capacity, while millions of additional tons - nearly one-third of the world's total catch -- are discarded at sea to make room for more desirable fish. In some regions, shifts in catch signal more fundamental changes in species composition and marine ecosystems.
"The international dimensions of ocean problems loom larger as we learn more about threats to marine species and ecosystems - invasive species are transported by international shipping, oceans fill with persistent organic pollutants, and nutrients from sewage and fertilizers cause excessive growth of marine plants. These challenges require that governments agree on commitments and common programs, in consultation with other stakeholders", says Kimball.
The report by IUCN -The World Conservation Union evaluates the effectiveness of international agreements and organizations and recommends numerous improvements. The report concludes that stronger institutions are needed at regional and national levels and that regular, informal, regional fora should be organized for information exchange and collaborative action. This recommendation is reinforced by greater understanding of ocean problems and a growing trend toward ecosystems-based approaches to ocean management.
A regional, ecosystems-based framework can be used to evaluate information, set priorities, integrate international Conventions, ensure that international programs are mutually supportive, and review progress. "Regional institutions are ideal for reconciling global commitments with the region-specific threats and unique environmental and socioeconomic circumstances", says Kimball.
The report makes a timely contribution to the current international debate on ocean governance and regional approaches. "It shows people working in international law how conventions have evolved and what gaps remain. For managers in government, business, or civil society, it surveys how international bodies can help them with on-the-ground problems", says Scott Hajost, Executive Director of IUCN's Washington Office, who commissioned the report in support of IUCN's Marine Programme.
International Ocean Governance includes a series of tables and maps. The tables present a problem-oriented summary of global and regional legal instruments and an indication of the scientific, technical, and legal guidance offered by international bodies. Legal instruments applicable to a particular region can be easily extracted. The maps demonstrate geographic relationships in eight ocean regions -- among regional marine and regional fisheries conventions, large marine ecosystems, major river basins, marine protected areas, and national jurisdiction. Both tables and maps can be easily updated.
The report was launched today at the UNEP Intergovernmental Review of Implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities, in Montreal, Canada.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Xenya Cherny, Media Relations Officer, IUCN - The World Conservation Union, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland, tel. 41 22 999 0205, fax 41 22 999 0025, email: xenya.cherny@iucn.org.
Lee A. Kimball, Independent Consultant, email: lkimball@igc.org, tel. 1 202 234 1350 or 1 202 387 4826; fax 1 202 234 0112 or 1 202 387 4823 (Note: from 27-30 November please contact IUCN Canada in Montreal, tel. 514 287 9704 c/o Chris Morry).
Carl Gustaf Lundin, Global Marine Program, email: marine@iucn.org, tel. 41 22 999 0221.
Purchasing Information:
International Ocean Governance: Using International Law and Organizations to Manage Marine Resources Sustainably is published as book with executive summary and CD-ROM. The CD contains the publication, executive summary, tables, and 32 maps in the map series. The executive summary with CD is also available separately.
