Can we protect biodiversity with fisheries laws?

But what is biodiversity, and why do we need to protect it?

„Biodiversity“, a term that we are confronted with every day, whether we hear about it in the media or read about it in scientific articles. Simply said, biodiversity describes the variety of all living things on Earth, from plants and animals, to fungi and microorganisms. Biodiversity also covers the places that these organisms share and how they interact with each other. The variety between all these organisms helps the ecosystem to stay healthy and keep the balance. By protecting the biodiversity, we can make sure that our ecosystems are stronger and can better deal with disturbances. In December 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) with 23 targets was adopted. One of the key targets of the GBF, also called 30×30, is that 30% of the world’s oceans, freshwaters, and lands will be protected by the years 2030. The goal is to protect areas that are important for biodiversity. Want to find out more about the targets of GBF, check here: https://www.cbd.int/gbf/targets.

Have you heard about OECMs? Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are areas that are not traditionally protected areas but contribute to the long-term conservation of biodiversity. OECMs have become a popular tool that can be used to reach the 30×30 target. Find out more: https://iucn.org/our-union/commissions/group/iucn-wcpa-other-effective-area-based-conservation-measures-specialist

OECMs in Iceland?

In her recent paper, Guðbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir and colleagues, have looked at what stakeholders in Iceland think about Fisheries restricted areas (FRA) as OECMs. FRA are defined areas in which specific fishing activities are restricted either permanently or during specific times of the year to protect fish stocks, habitats and/or ecosystems. To find out the opinions of stakeholders, she interviewed a group of experts, analysed public comments to changes of fisheries laws that were proposed in November 2022, and did a nation-wide online survey.

But what do stakeholders think?

The publication highlights three main results:

All people involved generally support ocean conservation but there are still some differences between the groups of stakeholders. Many fishers link the protection of fish and their habitats with biodiversity conservation. Scientists on the other hand highlight that a wider approach to conservation is needed on top of the protection of fish stocks. These differences can also be seen in the type of language they use to talk about the topic.

Stakeholder’s trust damaged. Regulation 188/2023 is Iceland’s first fisheries regulation to include specific biodiversity goals. But there are mixed opinions about this regulation. Some of the stakeholders are concerned about the lack of agreement and clarity. And the results show that their experiences around the regulation 188/2023 might have damaged their trust. 

Stakeholders explained what changes they want to see in the future. Based on the studies’ results, stakeholders want to see that laws and policies become more inclusive and that there is a clear communication about marine conservation. In the future, there should be a focus to connect laws on fisheries and conservation and stakeholders should be included early in the process. Overall, a common “language” should be found that helps to create common ground between the different stakeholder groups.