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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Improving scientific knowledge and data sharing to increase understanding of ocean health

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    Description
    Description
    Access to current information is critical to effectively manage the dynamic ocean environment. Best practices indicate that a centralized database with strong data governance and shared practices among scientific disciplines is a powerful tool to support evidence-based decisions and policy-making. Californias Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network spans over 1,100 miles of coast and includes habitats from the beach to offshore canyons. Aggregating data across geography, time and habitats is essential to ensure effective adaptive management.

    The State of California commits to implementing an open data platform that includes MPA Network performance evaluation data that cuts across disciplines (biological, ecological, physical, chemical and socioeconomic) and geography. The initial build out of the platform will be linked to state water and energy data with plans to connect to broader oceanographic and other data sets in the near future. The platform will have map-based search and discovery, visualization and analytic capabilities. This system will provide increased capabilities to evaluate the performance of the MPA Network in addition to informing other ocean management related to sustainable fisheries, climate change and water quality. The bulk of data available on the system will be available for download by all users and accessed via a web portal.
    Partners
    Ocean Protection Council (government), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (government), California Natural Resources Agency Information Technology (government)

    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
    Publically accessible web-based information management system for all marine protected area monitoring, and related data.
    Financing (in USD)
    1000000
    Staff / Technical expertise
    The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Ocean Protection Council are using existing scientific staff to identify gaps and mobilize additional resources to implement information management system.
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 January 2017 (start date)
    01 July 2018 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ocean Protection Council on behalf of the State of California
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Sacramento, California, United States of America
    Ocean Basins
    North Pacific
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Jenn Eckerle, Deputy Director, Ocean Protection Council