The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project has released the first electronic atlas of priority areas for sharks, rays, and chimaeras (also known as ‘ghost sharks’). Sharks and rays are some of the most threatened vertebrates on Earth, and are in desperate need of new and improved management. The ISRA project uses the bestContinue Reading First map of Important Shark and Ray Areas released
After years of work and months of planning, February 2023 is going to be a very busy month for GOBI, as we attend back-to-back events in the build-up to a major milestone in our mission: the near completion of our IKI-funded, seven-year programme of research. The month begins with the GOBI ‘Making it Count’ SymposiumContinue Reading Hooray! GOBI embarks on the manic month of Ma… February
Amidst the furore of finalising the CBD’s post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) – now know as the Kunming-Montreal GBF – the results of the most recent Regional Workshop to describe Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (the North-East Atlantic Workshop held in 2019) were accepted by the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15)Continue Reading EBSAs in the North-East Atlantic Ocean added to the CBD Repository
GOBI will be in attendance at CBD COP15, co-hosting three side events. They are: Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs): Describing the special places of the ocean in a changing world 13:15, Friday 9 December 2022: CEE Meeting Room 510A Co-organisers: CBD Secretariat & GOBI A decade ago, the CBD community embarked on anContinue Reading GOBI at CBD COP15
The Winter 2022 edition of the GOBI newsletter is now out! In it you can read all about GOBI’s participation in the Convention on Biological Diversity’s 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15), the latest results from the process for identifying Important Marine Mammal Areas, progress towards the protection of the Southern Ocean, BirdLife International’s centenaryContinue Reading GOBI newsletter – Winter 2022
Thirty-six new Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) have been uploaded to the IMMA e-Atlas. They are located in the South East Tropical and Temperate Pacific Ocean from northern Mexico to the southern tip of Chile, and are the result of an intensive week-long workshop in San José, Costa Rica (June 2022). Besides the 36 newContinue Reading New IMMAs declared
GOBI Coordinator, Prof. David Johnson, has attended the third Sustainable Oceans Initiative (SOI) Global Dialogue meeting in Busan, South Korea. The focus of the meeting was to build partnerships and enhance the capacity of regional seas organisations and regional fishery bodies to conserve and sustainably use marine and coastal biodiversity. Participants recognised that marine biodiversity isContinue Reading GOBI at Sustainable Ocean Initiative Global Dialogue
It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of Dr Patricio Bernal, former Executive Secretary of IOC-UNESCO. Patricio was a wise and highly respected ocean elder, instrumental in the conception and launch of the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative, who remained a member of the Scientific Steering Committee ever since. He was an accomplished diplomatContinue Reading In memoriam: Patricio Bernal
Before NOAA’s oceanic expedition ‘Voyage to the Ridge 2022’ aboard the research vessel Okeanos Explorer took a logistical break from its schedule, followers of its live ROV webcasts were treated to a fascinating ascent along the Western Kane Transform Fault on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Expert commentators described unique geology and identified bizarre creatures as theyContinue Reading To the Ridge and beyond!
Australia has over 30% of its national waters designated as Marine Parks, recognising that they are worthy of protection for nature conservation. However, like many other such similar areas across national and international waters, there is limited scope to measure and monitor their effectiveness as areas of conservation, or mechanisms by which to improve their efficacy. AContinue Reading Australia pilots new marine monitoring programme
