It has been ten years since GOBI was established to support the process under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to describe ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs).  In that time, whilst continuing to support the CBD, GOBI’s remit has expanded, gaining new partner organisations and generating scientific evidence in support for the conservationContinue Reading GOBI marks its 10th anniversary at the World Conference on Marine Biodiversity

The latest edition of the GOBI newsletter is now available (download here).  In it, GOBI looks back at its first decade of achievements, supporting the CBD in its description of ecologically or biologically significant areas (EBSAs) and initiating an ambitious and interdisciplinary programme of research to further promote the conservation of marine biodiversity.  Selected GOBIContinue Reading 10th birthday GOBI newsletter launched – Spring 2018

On 12 March in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo), Sabah’s Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Environment YBhg. Datu Rosmadi Datu Sulai attended the opening of a workshop to identify Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the Northeast Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian Seas.  The workshop has 35 participants from 16Continue Reading Second IMMA workshop is underway in Malaysia

The successful completion of the 14th CBD regional EBSA workshop targeting the Baltic Sea (19-24th February 2018) represents a major milestone in the EBSA process, having now covered all of its intended world oceans and seas (excluding the Southern Ocean).  During the workshop, representatives from most Baltic States – brought together by the Baltic MarineContinue Reading Baltic Sea EBSA workshop completes global coverage

Ongoing research supported by the GOBI-IKI project has contributed to the publication of a seminal article on the scientific rationale for the protection of active hydrothermal vent ecosystems from deep-sea mining.  The article summarises the ecological vulnerability of such ecosystems whilst emphasising the societal value of vents remaining untouched, as they represent a library ofContinue Reading Protecting hydrothermal vents from mining

The marine waters of Central West Africa are dominated by the Guinea Current.  The marine ecosystem is river-driven with inshore-offshore migrations and relatively low productivity, low salinity and high turbidity.  Cameroon has a relatively small EEZ and in the past, conservation efforts have focused on terrestrial ecosystems.  However, the Cameroon coastline supports significant mangrove stands,Continue Reading GOBI Secretariat contributes to first SOI national workshop on EBSAs: Yaounde Cameroon, 17-19 January 2018

A short film based on the recent GOBI-IKI backed expedition to the Costa Rica Thermal Dome has just been released. The expedition was intended to add data, information and substance in support of an effort to create an international collaborative alliance amongst Central American countries to protect and sustainably manage the  Dome. Further information on theContinue Reading Costa Rica Thermal Dome documentary goes live

GOBI partner BridLife International recently hosted a workshop in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to re-evaluate existing Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and explore the potential for new IBAs based on new available datasets.  The workshop forms part of BirdLife International’s contribution to GOBI’s programme of work funded by the German International Climate Initiative (IKI).Continue Reading Seabird conservation in focus in the Indian Ocean

Efforts to promote the conservation of marine mammals in the western tropical Pacific Ocean have culminated in the production of a set of management recommendations to safeguard the future of dugong and cetacean species in and around Palau.  This is the first of three such interventions under GOBI’s five-year research programme funded by the GermanContinue Reading GOBI milestone reached in marine mammal conservation

The 12th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP12) concluded with the adoption of all proposed resolutions and decisions, including the Manila Declaration on Sustainable Development, and Migratory Species.  Happily for GOBI, the proposal of making Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) part of the mandate of the CMSContinue Reading Resolutions adopted at CMS COP12