Management

Marine Spatial Planning Initiative

The purpose of this initiative is to help countries implement ecosystem-based management by finding space for biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic development in marine areas. One way to do this is through marine spatial planning. Our work focusses on moving marine spatial planning beyond the conceptual level by

The EBSAs are special areas in the ocean that serve important purposes, in one way or another, to support the healthy functioning of oceans and the many services that it provides. The ocean is under increasing threat from various human activities. The most pressing threats come from overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities.

Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas

The EBSAs are special areas in the ocean that serve important purposes, in one way or another, to support the healthy functioning of oceans and the many services that it provides.

By subscribing to the services below you will be sent the latest news and publications on marine protected areas, oceans, planning, policy, science and so forth.  We urge you to subscribe to stay abreast of what is happening to the marine world and what can be done to protect the sea around us.

The Conservation Planning Group

Each month this year, 2016, Green Fire is releasing one short video clip on marine planning from the Great Bear Seas film and other new material.

Underwater Mapping of Critical Areas Related to Biodiversity Conservation

An 18 month sea-bed mapping project and hydrographic survey on a specified 13.5 square miles (or 35 square kilometres) area off the coast of Tortola in the Virgin Islands, was completed last month.

Under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) must list species as endangered or threatened regardless of where they are found. If a species occurs exclusively in foreign waters, NOAA refers to it as a "foreign species." To date, there are 42 listed foreign species under NMFS jurisdiction.