A review of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the North Atlantic
Johnson, D.; Barrio Froján, C. (2021). A review of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) in the North Atlantic. Açoreana XI(3): 489-505
In: Açoreana: Ponta Delgada. ISSN 0874-0380, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Johnson, D.
- Barrio Froján, C.
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| Abstract |
The process of selecting and describing areas that meet the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) criteria on Ecologically or Biologically Significant marine Areas (EBSA) in the North Atlantic Ocean is described, as well as reviewing its results so far. Three regional EBSA workshops (one in the northwest Atlantic, two in the northeast Atlantic) have been conducted, with mixed results. Twenty-five EBSA descriptions exist for the North Atlantic Ocean, seven of which have been formally acknowledged by the CBDConference of the Parties (COP); the remaining 17 pending acknowledgement at CBD COP-15. The strengths and limitations of conducting the EBSA description process as a regionally focused exercise are discussed, including aspects of ecosystem representativity, connectivity, environmental governance/management for conservation, and the option to update EBSA descriptions once they have been formally acknowledged by the CBD.Suggestions to plug perceived shortfalls in the process are also presented |
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