On Tuesday, 13 October 2020, WCEL collaborated with the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and the Inter-American Institute on Justice and Sustainability (IIJS) to host the ninth event in the WCEL Webinar series "Fishing on the High Seas and Marine Protected Areas".

The challenges of international Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing on the high seas is one of the most urgent issues for the global community seeking to protect marine reserves and the integrity of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs).  IUU fleets that cross protected boundaries create problems for environmental security, international governance, and the livelihoods of local communities that depend on their marine resources. 

This webinar featured globally renowned experts who provided perspectives on marine protection, coorperation, and enforcement in international waters. Dr. Kathy MacKinnon, Chair of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, provided opening remarks. The webinar was moderated by Cymie Payne, Associate Professor at Rutgers Law School, and Chair of the WCEL Oceans, Coasts, and Coral Reefs Specialist Group. The panelists included: 

• Dr. Nilufer Oral, Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, International Law and IUU Fishing
• Robbert Casier, Assistant Programme Specialist, World Heritage Marine Programme, World Heritage Centre, UNESCO, UNESCO Marine World Heritage: Beacons of Hope in a Changing Ocean
• Maria Amparo Alban, Founding Partner, Inter-American Institute on Justice and Sustainability (IIJS), Galapagos at Risk: International Marine Protection, Challenges & Legal Options
• Dr. Evan Ellis, Research Professor of Latin American Studies, U.S. Army War College Strategic, Senior Non-Resident Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Latin Americas Experience with Deepwater Foreign Fishing Fleets
• Kristina M. Gjerde, Senior High Seas Advisor, IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme, MPAs and Roles for the BBNJ agreement

Support for the Webinar was provided by Claudia S. de Windt, IIJS CEO adn WCEL Steering Committee Member, as well as Xiao Recio-Blanco, Director of the Ocean Program at the Environmental Law Institute.

A recording of the webinar is available here: