Sustaining the World's Large Marine Ecosystems

establishment of marine protected areas, the restoration of environmentally
degraded areas, and the conservation of biological diversity. The Commission
will also adopt regulatory frameworks on the discharge of sewage, pollutants and
other waste matter, and provide guidelines on water quality standards.
The interim agreement of the BCC was formally signed in August 2006 by the
Namibia ministers of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Environment and Tourism
and Mines and Energy, and by the South Africa Minister for Environmental Affairs
and Tourism. The agreement was subsequently signed by the Angola ministers
of Fisheries, Urbanism, the Environment and Petroleum in Luanda in January
2007. The first meeting of the Ministerial Conference of the BCC was held in
Windhoek in July 2007.
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE
Our knowledge and understanding of the dynamics and functioning of the
Benguela Current ecosystem has advanced substantially. Angola, Namibia and
South Africa have taken significant strides towards meeting the targets set for
fisheries and the environment at the Johannesburg World Summit for Sustainable
Development in 2002. Regional research institutes, universities, and consultancy
groups have worked closely to build regional scientific research and management
capacity and to gather and analyse a wide range of information that is vital for the
responsible management of the LME and its natural resources. Management
tools have been developed and recommendations made that translate policy into
actions. Much of the work has been transboundary in nature and has contributed
to our knowledge of the Benguela Current and how best to rebuild, conserve and
manage its resources.
Support and encouragement by NOAA, the IUCN, the IOC/UNESCO and UNEP
provided to other LMEs world-wide through the annual LME consultative
committee meetings in Paris, was of great assistance in achieving our objectives.
The partnership with FAO in developing an ecosystem approach to fisheries
(EAF) in the region also played a key role in building confidence and empowering
fisheries agencies to broaden their perspective and approach to fisheries
management.
In the last five years, the BCLME project has forged strong links with the GEFsupported
Guinea Current, Canary Current, and Agulhas and Somali Current
LME projects through consultative meetings, training, capacity building activities,
shared transboundary fisheries, pollution surveys, and regional workshops.
Close cooperation was also developed with the Global Ocean Observation
System (GOOS) through GOOS-Africa, which led to strong partnerships in
building capacity and training in operational oceanography and ocean monitoring
systems particularly satellite remote sensing. A highlight of this cooperation was
the Pan-African Forum on Large Marine Ecosystems held in Cape Town in
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