Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM) in Marine Capture Fisheries by Garcia, Serge M; Rice, Jake; Charles, Anthony;

Short description:

This book describes the OECM concept in the context of marine capture fisheries. It also helps the conservation community understand the implications of the CBD decision for the fishery sector and promotes the convergence of conservation and economic governance.

Long description:

With threats to global biodiversity growing, it is increasingly necessary to examine the frameworks we employ to ensure conservation is successful and effective.

Conservation of the ocean and its biodiversity can thus take many forms and area-based fisheries management has been used for centuries to improve the performance of fisheries and reduce their ecological impact. Such measures have also developed and in 2010 the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognized the importance of protected areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in reversing biodiversity loss.

Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are thus geographically defined sites outside of protected areas that can achieve the sustained long-term conservation of biodiversity and they can be managed by government organisations, indigenous peoples or local communities.
The book is an updated version of a report prepared by members of the IUCN Fisheries Expert Group in 2021, following their close involvement in the elaboration and adoption of the concept of OECMs, and subsequent developments at international and national levels. This book focuses on OECMs as applied in marine capture fisheries, referred to as "fishery-OECMs".

Included in the book are:

A detailed description of this new instrument for managing fisheries and conservation.
A complete account of the background and development of the OECM concept.
Identification of how OECMs can be used to further economic and conservation goals.

This book describes the OECM concept in the context of marine capture fisheries to inform those working, interested or involved in fisheries, conservation and the environment. It also reviews the opportunities and challenges presented when identifying, using and maintaining effective long-term fishery-OECMs, thus ensuring the effective management of fisheries and the conservation of marine biodiversity.

Mark Dickey-Collas - (Chair, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES))

Thank you for your email request. I am aware of the work of these authors, and I must declare that I am in weekly contact with Serge Garcia on another project. If you don't consider this a conflict of interest, see below:

Please comment on the subject
The subject is very topical, and of high impact in the fisheries management world. It crosses biodiversity and fisheries realms and has be made more prominent by the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Please comment on the need for a book like this.
There is a need, as advisers to fisheries and fisheries managers need a resource to provide the academic thinking and concepts behind the development of these policy tools.

Please comment on the readership of this book.
The readership will primarily be evidence providers, academics, students of international and national fisheries and conservation management. An additional readership will be the environmental and conservation NGOs.

What are the key selling points of this book in your view?
The broad overview provided by the chapters, the range of case studies, leading to plenty of examples of the described concepts and methods in an operational setting. Also the extremely strong credibility of the evidence base in the book and the legitimacy and stature of the authors in fisheries and conservation science.

Overall would you support publication of this new text and do you have any other comments that you would like to make?
Yes, I would support it. Make sure that the flow of the narrative moves from conceptual into operational examples.

Table of Contents:

• 1: INTRODUCTION
• 2: THE CBD DECISION
• 3: OECM IMPLEMENTATION CYCLE
• 4: ENABLING FRAMEWORKS
• 5: IDENTIFICATION OF FISHERY-OECMS
• 6: INTEGRATION OF FISHERY-OECMs
• 7: MONITORING, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, AND REPORTING