The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological (COP16), having taken place in Cali, Colombia, from 21 October to 1 November, was the largest biodiversity conference to date with around 23,000 attendees across government, civil society, and business. Under the theme “Peace with Nature,” COP16 was the first COP since the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) – composed of 4 goals and 23 targets for 2030 – , focusing on its implementation. With more than 320 official side-events and over 20 agenda items to cover, days were busy and negotiations often stretched late into the night. Furthermore, this was the first COP with thematic days dedicated to specific issues, including Ocean Day, Food Day, Restoration Day, and 30×30 Action Day.
Bringing fisheries perspective’s to the conference and elevating aquatic foods, EBCD, together with the IUCN-CEM-Fisheries Expert Group (FEG) and other partners, co-organised three side-events; one exploring the intersection between sustainable aquatic food systems and biodiversity conservation and two on fisheries place in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
The first side-event, “Perspectives on Fisheries Place in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” co-organised with the FAO and CBD Secretariat on the 24th of October, aimed to highlight ways to support fisheries in achieving the GBF targets, including through fostering collaboration and sharing innovative approaches. Panellists from Japan, Canada, Indonesia, and Tuvalu each shared their ongoing efforts to engage fisheries stakeholders, break down silos between government ministries, finance biodiversity initiatives, and enhance knowledge of biodiversity goals. Recognising these efforts, FAO and FEG both noted that fisheries are still not getting recognised sufficiently for their work, and are not represented adequately in biodiversity forums.
The second GBF and fisheries side-event, entitled “Forming a common vision for fisheries to deliver on the Global Biodiversity Framework” and held on the 29th of October in the IUCN Pavilion with the FAO and CBD Secretariat, built on previous discussions aimed at clarifying the role of fisheries in the GBF. Building on FEG’s work, the event provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss challenges and solutions around integrating biodiversity into fisheries management. After Joe Appiott (CBD Secretariat) stressed the importance of involving fishers in biodiversity discussions and highlighted collaborations with bodies like RFMOs, panellists shared success stories on how they are preparing the sector to achieve the GBF targets, noting progress as well as the need for further action.
The third side-event on “Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity Through Resilient Food Systems: Integrating Conservation and Human Well-Being,” taking place on the 24th of October in collaboration with the FAO and the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition, explored how sustainable aquatic food systems can safeguard biodiversity whilst ensuring food security, in line with the GBF. Panellists from Iceland, Namibia, and Papua New Guinea emphasised the importance of sustainable aquatic foods for nutrition and their lower environmental impact compared to terrestrial proteins. They showcased innovative practices and policies that support ecosystem health and livelihoods. Parties noted, for example, the work they are doing to break down ministerial silos, tackle invasive species, and innovate with low-trophic species. Iceland highlighted the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition, a platform elevating sustainable aquatic foods, whilst the FAO and FEG shared ongoing work to integrate aquatic foods into decision-making processes.
EBCD and FEG also played a key role in the Ocean Day – a day of interactive discussions dedicated to the ocean – co-organising a session on “People and the Ocean” together with the FAO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP). The session highlighted fishers’ key roles in marine biodiversity conservation and outlined how the GBF connects people and the ocean for ecological health. An interactive segment used AI-generated images to challenge the audience to rethink society’s relationship with the ocean and its users. Through personal stories from fisher representatives, the session underscored the challenges, as well as the opportunities, fishers face in achieving biodiversity conservation targets. It was highlighted that fishers are often excluded from key decision-making processes despite their intimate connection to and reliance on the ocean. Panellists emphasised the need for fishers’ inclusion in CBD processes and more coordinated, inclusive approaches to fisheries and environmental management.
