The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is calling for the nomination of experts and the submission of scientific information for the upcoming workshop on the development of a Regional Environmental Management Plan (REMP) for the Area of the Indian Ocean, with a focus on the Mid-Ocean Ridges and Central Indian Ocean Basin. The workshop will be held in Qingdao, China, from 27 April to 1 May 2025.
The workshop aims to
- review regional environmental characteristics and regional patterns of biodiversity and/or habitat distribution
- develop a scientific proposal for defining the geographical scope of the REMP
- create approaches and supporting evidence for the identification and description of area-based management tools, including the scientific criteria, methodologies and data for evaluating potential areas that require protection or enhanced management
- describe draft areas identified for management consideration and the criteria used in their specification and
- propose priorities for future monitoring and research at the regional scale.
The terms of reference for the workshop can be found here. The results of this workshop will provide input for the next REMP workshop for this region, which may focus on the policy- and management-related aspects of the REMP development. The combined results from the expert workshops held for this region will inform the Legal and Technical Commission on developing a REMP for this region.
Nominations and submissions:
ISA members, sponsoring States, ISA contractors, international and regional organizations, projects/programmes and initiatives and academic institutions/scientific groups are invited to nominate experts to participate in the workshop. The number of participants is limited to 40.
Nominations should include
- name and full contact details of the nominee(s)
- official letter of nomination addressed to the Director of the Office of Environmental Management and Mineral Resources of ISA and
- curriculum vitae indicating areas of expertise and experience.
Organizations and individuals are invited to submit relevant scientific information supporting the workshop objectives. Information may focus on bathymetry, geography, geology, oceanography, biology, ecology, human uses and existing management regimes as outlined in the call for submission of information: https://www.isa.org.jm/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Call-for-Nomination-and-Information-2025-Indian-Ocean-REMP-workshop.pdf.
Important dates
- Deadline for nomination: 25 November 2024
- Information submission deadline: 1 March 2025
Additional information
Detailed workshop programme and participant information will be available on the workshop web page: https://www.isa.org.jm/events/workshop-on-the-development-of-a-remp-for-the-area-of-the-indian-ocean.
For enquiries and submissions, please contact:
Office of Environmental Management and Mineral Resources, ISA, oemmr-secretariat@isa.org.jm