Ecosystem-Based Integrated Ocean Management: A Framework for Sustainable Ocean Economy Development

At present (2014–2020), the work of the BCC is being supported by the Marine Spatial Manage- ment and Governance Programme (MARISMA) 25 . This is jointly funded by the German Federal Minis- try for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU), the BCC and its member states, and is being implemented by the German Development Cooperation in partnership with the BCC. MARISMA has three workstreams: one focused on developing joint approaches and building capac- ities for multisectoral and ecosystem-based MSP, one focused on the collation of data and infor- mation and sharing it via a shared online data por- tal, and one focused on identifying and mapping EBSAs in the EEZs of the three countries. Harris et al. (2019) describe the success that the project has had in supporting the identification and mapping of EBSAs across the region through a collaborative, expert-led approach and the sub- sequent iterative refinement of their boundaries, as well as the integration of this information in a systematic MPA planning process. The latter has resulted in new MPAs being designated in South Africa, making a significant contribution to Aichi Target 11. The project has been taking a ‘learning by doing’ approach to build capacities that will be sustained within the region once the project has finished. This case study therefore illustrates an effective approach not only to transboundary integration, but also of international development collabora- tion focused on participative capacity-building to create a firm and sustainable foundation for the implementation of EB-IOM in the long run.

25 https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/30903.html; https://www.benguelacc.org/index.php/en/marisma

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