FAO-GEF Partnership for International Waters

Healthy marine and freshwater ecosystems significantly influence human, animal, and ecosystem health, including biodiversity, land and water use and climate, as well as other aquatic and land-based economic sectors. However, unsustainable practices such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and overfishing have been contributing to rapid deterioration of marine and freshwater ecosystems. These systems also face increasing threats from climate change, pollution, water acidification, and biodiversity and habitat loss. Transformation is essential to conserve and support aquatic ecosystems so that they can continue to supply services and help sustain healthy diets.

Within the International Waters focal area that refers to aquatic ecosystems shared by more than one country, FAO and the GEF collaborate in three domains: (i) Large Marine Ecosystems, that is, ocean regions defined by distinct seabed topography, physical oceanographic conditions, biological productivity, and ecological food web dynamics; (ii) transboundary freshwater ecosystems, which are lake and river basins and aquifers shared by two or more countries (as showcased in Part I of this report); and (iii) Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), also known as the high seas, which are areas of ocean for which no single nation has sole responsibility for management.

The collaboration between FAO and the GEF in this focal area started with the Common Oceans Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) Programme. Focused on management and conservation of the world’s common oceans, the programme included the Global ABNJ Deep-Sea and Global ABNJ Tuna projects that, respectively, combatted illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and helped mitigate bycatch mortality trends and transformed tuna fisheries management practices. The collaboration now continues with support for early implementation of the BBNJ Agreement.