To conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, we need to know where in the ocean to focus conservation and management efforts. This requires a strong understanding of the many different types of marine ecosystems across different regions, including which areas are the richest in life, which boast the greatest diversity and abundance of species, and which possess the rarest species and the most unique communities of marine flora and fauna.
Since 2010, describing and identifying such special places in the ocean, on the basis of a set of criteria (annex I, decision IX/20), has been the core focus of the work under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs).
What is an EBSA?
An EBSA is an area of the ocean that has special importance in terms of its ecological and/or biological characteristics, for example, as essential habitats, food sources or breeding grounds for particular species.
These areas can include seabed habitats from the coastline to deep ocean trenches, and can be located at a variety of depths in the water column from the surface to the abyss.
Over the past decade, more than 300 EBSAs have been described around the world, through a scientific and technical process involving more than 500 experts from 144 countries.
EBSA information plays a key role in advancing the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in particular Target 1 (spatial planning), Target 2 (ecosystem restoration) and Target 3 (area-based conservation). EBSA information can also contribute to the implementation of the Agreement under UNCLOS on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
New modalities to describe new EBSAs and modify EBSA descriptions (decision 16/16)
The process for describing EBSAs was first established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD in decision X/29 in 2010. In November 2024, the CBD COP adopted new modalities for describing and modifying EBSAs, as outlined in the annex of decision 16/16.
These new modalities allow existing EBSA descriptions to be updated based on new scientific information and new areas to be identified through approaches beyond the traditional regional workshops.
The CBD Secretariat can now receive submissions for new EBSA descriptions and modifications of existing EBSA descriptions on a rolling basis, in line with the modalities set out in the annex of decision 16/16.
Resources
The Secretariat has developed resources to help guide users through the EBSA process:
EBSA Handbook (Note: This handbook does not have any formal status and is not intended to be a substitute for text contained in decision 16/16)
A practical guide providing:
- A step-by-step overview of how to prepare a submission to describe or modify an EBSA
- Key facts about EBSAs and the EBSA process
- Overarching considerations for the EBSA process
- Information on the EBSA repository and EBSA information-sharing mechanism
