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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Strengthening the stewardship of an economically and biologically significant high seas area – the Sargasso Sea

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (IOC-UNESCO), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Sargasso Sea Commission (
United Nations / Multilateral body
)
#OceanAction48177
    Description
    Description
    'Strengthening the stewardship of an economically and biologically significant high seas area – the Sargasso Sea' is part of the GEF common oceans programme. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the GEF implementing agency for the project, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (IOC-UNESCO) will serve as UNDP Implementing Partner (Executing Agency). The overall objective of this 4-year GEF-funded project, with nearly $3 million of funding, is to facilitate a collaborative, cross-sectoral, and sustainable stewardship approach for the Sargasso Sea through improvement of the knowledge base and strengthened frameworks for collaborative management and governance. The grant will allow for the first ever Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis (EDA) for a high seas ecosystem to be completed. This EDA will form the technical basis for a stakeholder-endorsed Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for future stewardship of the Sargasso Sea.
    Partners

    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - project lead, GEF implementing agency
    Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (IOC-UNESCO) - GEF executing agency
    Global Environment Facility (GEF) - funder of the project
    Sargasso Sea Commission - beneficiary of the project

    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
    14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
    14.2 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
    14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
    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
    14.5 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
    14.7 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.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.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"
    IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE BASE TO SUPPORT A COLLABORATIVE, ADAPTIVE ECOSYSTEM-BASED STEWARDSHIP APPROACH
    DEVELOPMENT OF A STRATEGIC ACTION PROGRAMME FOR ADDRESSING THREATS AND STRENGTHENING STEWARDSHIP THROUGH COLLABORATION AND CONSERVATION OF THE SARGASSO SEA ECOSYSTEM
    PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATION FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE SARGASSO SEA ECOSYSTEM
    KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, MONITORING AND EVALUATION
    Financing (in USD)
    2,652,294
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 June 2022 (start date)
    31 May 2026 (date of completion)
    Entity
    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (IOC-UNESCO), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Sargasso Sea Commission
    SDGs
    Other beneficiaries
    Sargasso Sea Commission
    Ocean Basins
    Global
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Sustainable fisheries, Marine pollution, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology, Implementation of international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
    Countries
    Bahamas
    Bahamas
    Canada
    Canada
    Cuba
    Cuba
    Dominican Republic
    Dominican Republic
    Haiti
    Haiti
    Jamaica
    Jamaica
    Monaco
    Monaco
    Morocco
    Morocco
    Portugal
    Portugal
    Ibero-American Network of Life Cycle Assesment
    United States of America
    United States of America
    Contact Information

    Andrew, Head, Water & Ocean Governance Programme at UNDP