{"id":3131,"date":"2022-04-26T13:08:12","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T13:08:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wiomsa.org\/wiompan\/?p=3131"},"modified":"2022-04-26T13:09:06","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T13:09:06","slug":"3rd-call-mpas-area-based-management-and-the-blue-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wiomsa.org\/wiompan\/2022\/04\/26\/3rd-call-mpas-area-based-management-and-the-blue-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"3rd Call: MPAs, Area-Based Management and the Blue Economy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The third OIC Call for Proposals was launched on 10 February\u00a02022 and\u00a0closes on 29 April 2022, 23:59 CET<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

From plastics and nutrient pollution to overfishing to climate change, two-thirds of the global ocean is considered to have been negatively impacted by human activities. To recover and benefit from the broad range of ecosystem services the ocean provides to humanity, from food security to nutrient cycling to climate moderation, we need to move to\u00a0ecosystem-based management\u00a0<\/strong>of marine ecosystems that are integrated, cross-sectoral, and highly participatory.\u00a0 Area-based management approaches such as Marine Spatial Planning, Integrated Coastal Management, and the Large Marine Ecosystems (LME) approach have all shown promise in achieving these objectives.\u00a0In its recently completed work, leaders from 14 countries on the\u00a0High-Level Panel on a Sustainable Blue Economy<\/a>\u00a0committed to sustainably manage 100 percent of their national waters by 2025.\u00a0This High-Level Panel called upon other nations to match their ambition towards having all of the world\u2019s ocean Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) under sustainable management by 2030.<\/p>\n

There is now wide evidence that the establishment and effective management of\u00a0Marine Protected Areas (MPA)<\/strong>\u00a0plays a vital role in protecting and restoring marine ecosystems of all types.\u00a0 Studies have demonstrated that properly managed MPAs can increase species diversity, fish size, density and overall biomass.\u00a0 MPAs in certain types of ecosystems, such as seagrass and mangroves, can provide important \u2018blue carbon\u2019 sinks, reduce climate change impacts, and improve ocean health.\u00a0 MPAs help local economies by preserving existing jobs and creating new ones such as ecotourism. And, by promoting sustainable use of harvested marine resources, MPAs can ensure long-term food security and improved economic opportunity for local populations. According to the MPA Atlas, about 6.1% of ocean area within national jurisdictions (EEZs) and 0.8 percent of the high seas has implemented fully\/highly protected areas.\u00a0 While positive, many scientists agree that overall protection levels as high as 30 percent\u00a0will be required, underscoring the need for continued progress on Marine Protected Areas.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Blue Economy<\/strong>\u00a0concept is increasingly recognized as an opportunity for coastal communities and nations to realize enhanced social and economic benefits from the sustainable utilization of their ocean and coastal resources.\u00a0From Southeast Asia to most of the world\u2019s Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the blue economy is often already a significant component of national economic activity.\u00a0Towards realizing their blue economy ambitions, many countries are now preparing national blue economy assessments\/diagnostics, strategies and plans.\u00a0A key challenge to enhancing a country\u2019s blue economy is the identification of new and additional areas of economic activity that are environmentally and socially sustainable and have viable business models that can attract\u00a0private investment.<\/p>\n

Building upon the above, the third OIC Challenge seeks innovative solutions that address one or more of the following SDG 14 targets:<\/p>\n

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