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

The 12th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals is underway in Manila, Philippines (22-28 October 2017). GOBI is contributing to the proceedings on several fronts, including two Side Events, one exhibiting the development of a new system to describe Migratory Connectivity in theContinue Reading GOBI at CMS COP12

The autumn 2017 edition of the GOBI newsletter is now available, packed with accounts from the events that have defined a landmark year for the oceans.  Be sure not to miss this bumper issue.  To download a copy, click here.

A new and updated GOBI brochure is now available.  As well as presenting the Initiative’s ethos, goals and history, it expands the concept of EBSAs – now that there are over 300 EBSAs described across the global oceans – and illustrates the new ways of thinking that are emerging to make best use of suchContinue Reading New GOBI Brochure

  The GOBI Secretariat is ready to take part in the fourth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4) in Coquimbo and La Serena, Chile.  During the week-long congress, GOBI is hosting a symposium session, where it will expand on how the utility of EBSAs can be enhanced for area-based management.  After that, in conjunction with theContinue Reading GOBI at IMPAC4

GOBI partner CSIRO recently hosted a workshop in Helsinki aimed at developing statistical methods that underpin the identification of marine biogeographic units at a regional scale.  Marine biogeographic units are areas of the ocean – encompassing either the seabed, the water column, or both – that share a common set of interdependent physical and biologicalContinue Reading Biogeography workshop held in Helsinki

Results from the first ever workshop on the identification of important marine mammal areas (IMMAs) have been published.  The workshop was focused on the Mediterranean Sea and took place in Chania, Greece, in October 2016.  GOBI is supporting a further five IMMA workshops focusing on the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In the Mediterranean workshop, 41Continue Reading First steps to recognise significant areas for marine mammals

On 13 July 2017, during the 4th meeting of the UN’s Preparatory Committee on BBNJ, a lunchtime side event presented a Policy Brief document titled Deep, distant and dynamic:  critical considerations for incorporating the open-ocean into a new BBNJ treaty. The side event was organised by The Nippon Foundation Nereus Program and the IUCN, andContinue Reading Open oceans Policy Brief presented at PrepCom4