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Maintaining healthy, productive ecosystems in the face of pervasive and accelerating human impacts including climate change requires globally coordinated and sustained observations of marine biodiversity. Global coordination is predicated on an understanding of the scope and capacity of existing monitoring programs, and the extent to which they use standardized, interoperable practices for data management. Global coordination also requires identification of gaps in spatial and ecosystem coverage, and how these gaps correspond to management priorities and information needs. We undertook such an assessment by conducting an audit and gap analysis from global databases and structured surveys of experts. Of 371 survey respondents, 203 active, long-term (>5 years) observing programs systematically sampled marine life. These programs spanned about 7% of the ocean surface area, mostly concentrated in coastal regions of the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Seagrasses, mangroves, hard corals, and macroalgae were sampled in 6% of the entire global coastal zone. Two-thirds of all observing programs offered accessible data, but methods and conditions for access were highly variable. Our assessment indicates that the global observing system is largely uncoordinated which results in a failure to deliver critical information required for informed decision-making such as, status and trends, for the conservation and sustainability of marine ecosystems and provision of ecosystem services. Based on our study, we suggest four key steps that can increase the sustainability, connectivity and spatial coverage of biological Essential Ocean Variables in the global ocean: (1) sustaining existing observing programs and encouraging coordination among these; (2) continuing to strive for data strategies that follow FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable); (3) utilizing existing ocean observing platforms and enhancing support to expand observing along coasts of developing countries, in deep ocean basins, and near the poles; and (4) targeting capacity building efforts. Following these suggestions could help create a coordinated marine biodiversity observing system enabling ecological forecasting and better planning for a sustainable use of ocean resources.

Marine conservation actions are promoted to conserve natural values and support human wellbeing. Yet the quality of governance processes and the social consequences of some marine conservation initiatives have been the subject of critique and even human rights complaints. These types of governance and social issues may jeopardize the legitimacy of, support for and long-term effectiveness of marine conservation. Thus, we argue that a clearly articulated and comprehensive set of social standards - a code of conduct - is needed to guide marine conservation. In this paper, we draw on the results of an expert meeting and scoping review to present key principles that might be taken into account in a code of conduct, to propose a draft set of foundational elements for inclusion in a code of conduct, to discuss the benefits and challenges of such a document, and to propose next steps to develop and facilitate the uptake of a broadly applicable code of conduct within the marine conservation community. The objectives of developing such a code of conduct are to promote fair conservation governance and decision-making, socially just conservation actions and outcomes, and accountable conservation practitioners and organizations. The uptake and implementation of a code of conduct would enable marine conservation to be both socially acceptable and ecologically effective, thereby contributing to a truly sustainable ocean.

There is now high scientific certainty that global environmental change, including climate change, will impact the natural systems that coastal communities of the Pacific region depend on at a scale that they have not experienced before. Using case studies specific to coastal communities in the Pacific island nations and elsewhere, we demonstrate that adaptation policies and strategies that take into account of communities’ own knowledge, and build on the dynamics embedded in their social systems are likelier to succeed. Traditional knowledge is a part of many policy processes, including under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Pacific Regional Ocean Policy, and has a role in assisting coastal communities in Pacific Island countries in responding to the impacts of climate change through the development of adaptation strategies and the maintenance of cultural integrity. It is not yet known whether traditional knowledge itself could adapt and keep pace with the forecasted rapid changes, including in the events of displacement and migration. Ultimately, we emphasize the importance of co-creation of knowledge, recognizing the value of both scientific and traditional knowledge equally, as the future policy direction for Pacific Islands. In doing so, we acknowledge that the relationship between island nations and their marine environment is deeply cultural, and goes beyond viewing the ocean as simply a source of food and other services.

This article 1) examines the policy context that created a demand for biogeographic information, 2) describes early national and regional experiences in applying biogeographic classifications, 3) extracts lessons about their usefulness, 4) introduces a broad-scale biogeographic classification for the open ocean and deep seabed called the Global Open Ocean and Deep Seabed (GOODS) biogeographic classification and explains its relevance in this policy context. In so doing it highlights potential uses of biogeographic classifications for the open ocean and deep seabed: these include ecosystem-based management approaches, marine spatial planning and identification of representative networks of MPAs. It also discusses approaches for dealing with problems of uncertainty and connectivity. The article concludes with recommendations for the further development of the GOODS and finer-scale biogeographic classifications.

The parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity identified marine and coastal biological diversity as one of the early priority areas for the work of the Convention. This was reflected in the Ministerial Statement on the Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, issued in conjunction with the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties, in 1995. This statement referred to the new global consensus on the importance of marine and coastal biodiversity, reaffirmed the critical need for the Conference of the Parties in order to address the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity, and urged parties to initiate immediate action to implement the decisions of the Conference of the Parties on this issue. This global consensus became know as the Jakarta Mandate on marine and coastal biological diversity. Subsequently, a program of work on marine and coastal biodiversity was drafted in order to assist the implementation of the Jakarta Mandate. The program focuses on five main thematic issues that reflect global priorities. These thematic issues are the implementation of integrated marine and coastal area management, sustainable use of marine and coastal living resources, marine and coastal protected areas, mariculture, and alien species and genotypes. In addition, several basic principles and approaches are also acknowledged.

Marine genetic resources both within and beyond national jurisdiction have been the focus of international negotiations in a range of forums in recent years. One recurrent theme throughout these discussions has been the absence of detailed information upon which policy responses to the emerging issue of the conservation and sustainable use of marine genetic resources (especially in areas beyond national jurisdiction) could be based. In an effort to address some of these knowledge gaps, this article examines the level and nature of scientific and commercial interest in marine genetic resources, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction. It also examines the changing perspectives of the scientific community in relation to the potential of marine genetic resources. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.