A Panel Discussion on “Mainstreaming climate change into international fisheries governance: The case of regional fisheries bodies” was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 16 May 2024 (today). The event, organized by the FAO, aimed to discuss the role of RFBs in addressing the impacts of climate change on transboundary fisheries management, highlighting ongoing efforts, and exploring the potential for regional coordination frameworks.

 

Dr. Krishnan, Director, BOBP-IGO presented a talk on “Impacts of climate change on shared fisheries resources and management responses in Indian Ocean”. He presented an overview of the activities of the RFBs in the IO region and the key lessons learnt towards integrating climate change in management advice. He highlighted the crucial role of the lower middle-income countries in the region in ocean management, owing to their significant share in the marine fisheries production.

“As the Indian Ocean has experienced a significant basin-wide surface warming since the 20th century, the RFBs have a significant role to build capacity in the countries towards tracking the impact of climate change on the fisheries resources and in integrating CC in their management advice”, Dr. Krishnan said. He highlighted the new collaboration frameworks developed by BOBP and their plans to undertake a regional study on the climate impacts on fisheries.

 

The FAO Panel Discussion was held in the sidelines of the Seventeenth round of the Informal Consultations of States Parties (ICSP 17) to the United Nations Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UNFSA) on the theme of “Sustainable fisheries management in the face of climate change” held at UN Headquarters in New York from 15 to 17 May 2024.