Workshop objectives, outcomes products

Overall Objective: to advance the OECM Nordic project, including integration with the CAFF/PAME OECM project.

Specific objectives for the workshop from both projects:

Provide an overview of the current range and understanding of international and national criteria used for the identification of “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures” (OECM) in the Nordic regions and the Arctic marine environment.
Summarize concepts, methodologies, guidance and relevant tools for OECM development, implementation and assessment.
Identify and discuss differences and commonalities in OECM approaches among Nordic and other Arctic states and explore the case for a common approach.
Promote a common understanding and terminology around area-based conservation approaches to marine management and terrestrial management in the Nordic and wider Arctic region, where possible.
Share and discuss case studies that explore the role of Indigenous sustainable management practices, including Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), and other Indigenous management approaches, including advice and lessons learned and exploratory case studies.
Build upon and inform the development of other relevant activities in the Nordic and wider Arctic regions.
Discuss development of fact sheets on OECM best practice related to the Nordic project.

Outcome: By the end of the workshop participants will understand key concepts around OECMs and Indigenous-led management practices, including how OECMs can contribute to reaching global/national conservation targets, and the wider benefits of OECMs for conservation in the Arctic Nordic and wider Arctic regions. Through presentations by experts and practitioners and existing case studies participants will learn about the process of identifying, recognizing and reporting OECMs, and discuss needs and opportunities for making progress on OECMs.

Workshop products:

Workshop report
List of case studies and examples of OECM and IPCA development and application in the marine and terrestrial environments in the Nordics and wider Arctic for further consideration in ongoing and future projects
Contributions to the Nordic report and broader PAME/CAFF OECM report, and insights into additional project development under the Arctic Council

Supporting documents

CBD. 2018. “Protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, Dec.14/8”, Decision adopted by the COP to the CBD 14/8. Convention on Biological Diversity.
IUCN. 2019. Recognising and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures. World Commission on Protected Areas Task Force on OECMs.
IUCN. 2023. Site-level tool for identifying other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) : first edition | IUCN Library System
FAO. 2022. A handbook for identifying, evaluating and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures in marine fisheries. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
HELCOM investigates alternative marine protection measures and Decision Tree
Joint ICES/IUCN-CEM FEG Workshop on Testing OECM Practices and Strategies
Government of Canada. 2022. Guidance for recognizing marine Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures 2022 (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)

List of acronyms used in the report

ABFM: Area-based Fisheries Management Measures
ABNJ: Areas-beyond National Jurisdiction
AI: Artificial intelligence
BBNJ: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction
BCB: Biodiversity Conservation Benefit
CAFF: Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna
CBD: Convention on Biological Diversity
CPAN: Circumpolar Protected Areas Network
EBSA: Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs)
EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone
EU: European Union
FAO: Food and Administrative Organization
FJMC: Fisheries Joint Management Council
HELCOM: Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – also known as the Helsinki Commission
ICC: Inuit Circumpolar Council
ICES: International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
IK: Indigenous Knowledge
IPCA: Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area
IMPAC5: Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5)
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature
LIFE IP: LIFE Integrated Project, LLIFE is the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action
MPA: Marine Protected Area
MSP: Marine Spatial Planning
NAFO: Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
NBSAP: National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans
NCM: Nordic Council of Ministers
NEAFC: North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission
NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric
OECM: Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures
PAME: Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment
UN: United Nations
UNGA: United Nations General Assembly
WCPA: IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas
WKECOVME: ICES workshop to evaluate long-term biodiversity/ecosystem benefits of NEAFC closed and restricted areas
WKTOPS: ICES/IUCN-CEM Fisheries Expert Group Workshop on Testing OECM Practices and Strategies
WWF: World Wildlife Fund