MARE's workshop on OECM (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures)

On March 20, MARE, in collaboration with ANP-WWF and with the support of the Oceano Azul Foundation, held a workshop on OECM (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures) and its application as a complementary tool to the National Network of Marine Protected Areas, in order to achieve the 30x30 target in Portugal. The session took place at the ANP-WWF premises in Lisbon and included representatives from ICNF, DGPM, MARE and other researchers, the Portuguese Institute of Law of the Sea and various NGOs.

Researcher Adelaide Ferreira, who represented MARE at the workshop, explains that "the aim of this face-to-face working session will be to deepen the concept of OECM and explore the potential of its designation in the Portuguese sea and how this tool may or may not complement the National Network of Marine Protected Areas (RNAMP) to achieve the 30x30 target, in order to ensure that designated areas effectively contribute to the conservation of the marine environment in Portugal."

Together with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) are the two types of tools included in the 30x30 target of the new Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: the conservation of 30% of coastal and marine areas by 2030. For Adelaide Ferreira, OECM/OMEC are considered fundamental to achieving this ambitious global target, but there is still a great deal of ignorance about the potential of this tool, particularly in the marine environment.

In the future, the researcher says, "We plan to hold another working session and, among other products, a position paper on this topic. It was a very productive working session that generated a very enthusiastic and participatory discussion."

Photo by Vasco Becker-Weinberg (via linkedin)