A handbook for identifying, evaluating and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures in marine fisheries

Around the world, fisheries managers strive to practice effective management that provides a clear path to conserving ocean biodiversity while contributing to human well-being. A wide range of area-based fisheries management tools achieve positive outcomes for biodiversity. Many also conform to the definition, criteria and guidance on "other effective area-based conservation measures" (OECMs) developed by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In a fisheries context, OECMs are spatially defined management and/or conservation measures distinct from protected areas, which produce positive, long-term, in-situ biodiversity outcomes in addition to the expected fisheries outcomes. However, considerable confusion abounds as to which measures qualify as OECMs. This manual, the first product published under FAO's OECM fisheries series, aims to promote practical guidance on topics related to fisheries OECMs, describes the key characteristics of fisheries OECMs, and describes a basic process for identifying, assessing and reporting OECMs in marine fisheries in order to foster global recognition of the role that fisheries management plays in fisheries conservation. biodiversity.