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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Building the knowledge base for global ocean resource management

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Academic institution
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    Description
    Description
    Fish stocks have been vastly depleted worldwide due to the direct effects of fishing, and the indirect effects of other anthropogenic impacts upon fishes and their habitats. Many valued species have been driven to commercial extinction. If human-related impacts are not understood and managed, serious consequences will result for the ecological health of the Earths oceans, coastal communities, global food security, and the many other benefits humans derive from the ocean. Enhanced global research and management partnerships are required across sectors and geopolitical boundaries for successful future ocean management. The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) is a global research, technology, data management and partnership platform committed to advancing scientific knowledge of the worlds ecologically, culturally, and commercially important aquatic animals to ensure their conservation and sustainable management.

    OTN is committing to providing the technology, data infrastructure and logistical support to use electronic telemetry to document the movements, survival, intra- and interspecific interactions, and habitat use (including occupancy of marine protected areas) of free-ranging at-risk and valued species of marine life. The work is done in collaboration with a growing number of international collaborators, making the work cost effective and ensuring that local knowledge needs are addressed. OTN will also operate its fleet of autonomous marine vehicles to sample oceanographic conditions in its North Atlantic and North Pacific Ocean areas of operation, contributing the data to researchers working on animal tracking, climate change, weather and storm forecasting, and oceanography. Access to the data and resources of the OTN will be provided free of charge to registered users.
    Partners
    111 participating research and academic institutions worldwide

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    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

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    Expansion of current telemetry networks and capacity to develop coastal nations in service of national needs
    Documentation of the timing and geographic distribution of movement pathways and habitat use for valued marine species
    Knowledge of the responses of different species from differing ecosystems to environmental and other stressors such as climate change, human exploitation, and biodiversity loss
    Climate-grade oceanographic monitoring data from autonomous vehicles operating in the temperate and sub-Arctic regions off Canadas coast.
    Financing (in USD)
    15500000
    In-kind contribution
    22500000
    Title Progress Status Submitted
    Partnership Progress 2021-02-11 On track
    Partnership Progress 2017-11-06 On track
    False
    Action Network
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    Timeline
    01 April 2017 (start date)
    01 March 2023 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ocean Tracking Network
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
    Ocean Basins
    Global
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Fred Whoriskey, Executive Director, Ocean Tracking Network