Healthy Oceans,

Healthy Planet
A strategic vision for the future of oceans
 Why protect the oceans?
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is a champion Oceans sustain all life on the Today, our oceans face dire threats. Chief among these is overfishing, which has
brought many fisheries to the brink of collapse. Overfishing has decimated fish
of healthy oceans that help sustain the planet, planet. They produce oxygen,
populations, damaged critical habitats, reduced marine biodiversity and hurt
feed the world, alleviate poverty and support regulate the global climate,
coastal communities worldwide. According to our research, unless bold action is
fishers and their communities, even in the face of provide critical habitat for taken to end overfishing, nearly 90% of global fish stocks will be depleted by 2050.
climate change. We work with partners around the countless plants and animals,
Climate change impacts — including warmer water temperatures, ocean
world and draw on strong science and economic support billions of people with
acidification, shifting ocean currents and habitat loss — are also dramatically
principles to advance sustainable fishing practices, food and jobs and shape the
stressing our oceans, putting at risk both global ocean health and the goods and
forward-looking policies and innovative tools that cultural traditions and identities services oceans provide. Fisheries across the globe are already feeling the effects
support the health of our oceans and the people of coastal communities around of climate change, from the southeastern Pacific anchovy fishery to the northern
who depend on the sea for their livelihoods. the world. Atlantic mackerel fishery. Many fish species are on the move in search of cooler
waters, and in the tropics, climate change threatens to reduce the ocean’s ability
to produce fish for food by up to 40-50%.

To ensure healthy oceans that can sustain coastal communities and the planet
at large for generations to come, we must act now to reduce climate pollutants,
implement climate-adaptive policies and put an end to overfishing.

Today, roughly 3 billion Nearly 50% of all ocean-

people rely on fish as based jobs are fishery jobs,
an important source of and in total, ocean-based
protein, and that number industries and activities
is expected to rise to 4.5
billion by 2050.
contribute approximately
$2.5 trillion to the global
What is
economy each year. at stake?
Many communities that In temperate regions,
are most vulnerable to shifts in species
climate impacts are distribution will give
Sustainable Marine Thriving Coastal Climate Regulation also home to some of rise to new management
Fisheries Biodiversity Communities Carbon Sequestration the world’s richest conflicts, undermining
Climate Resilience
biodiversity hotspots. already sustainably
managed fisheries.

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Restore fisheries, EDF is helping transform fisheries
restore ocean health management around the world
Fisheries health is critical The latest science on climate change and fisheries tells us strong fisheries Fisheries reform is one of our top priorities — it is the key to unlocking healthier
to ocean health. Though management that reduces overfishing and rebuilds depleted populations will oceans. EDF is also focused on strengthening the adaptive capacity of coastal
support healthier ocean ecosystems and coastal communities, even under communities so they can stay economically and environmentally resilient in
challenges abound, we still
climate change. the face of emerging climate change impacts. We work closely with a broad
have an opportunity to and diverse network of partners, collaborators and fishery stakeholders to
build sustainable, climate- Adaptive and forward-looking management strengthens the ocean’s ability to implement climate-resilient fisheries management at local, national, regional
resilient fisheries. withstand current and future climate change impacts. By anticipating future and global scales. We help drive transformational change by putting science-
changes in ocean conditions, fisheries productivity and the location of fish, we can based and climate-smart policies, tools and technologies in place where they
work today to ensure that fish populations and the communities that depend on are needed most.
them are more resilient to climate impacts.

Our goal

By 2030, we will protect 60% By working closely with a broad network of allies to put our pathways to
When we take care of fish, we take care of everything else: of wild fisheries by equipping climate-resilient fisheries in place, we will improve the health of critical ocean
habitats and enhance ocean-based livelihoods and food security. We will
partners across the globe also help communities expand beyond capture fisheries and tap into other
with the knowledge, tools elements of the blue economy — such as aquaculture and ecosystem service
Preserving marine Protecting Supporting hundreds of An essential source of nutrition and resources they need to returns — to ensure they are positioned to thrive, now and in the future.
food web coral reefs millions of jobs globally for more than a billion people
around the world implement climate-resilient
fisheries management.

1 Set science-based limits on

catch to ensure fish populations
4 Uphold transparent, inclusive and
participatory decision-making
remain healthy and productive for processes that provide a space for all
1 Put science-based fisheries
management and governance
4 Improve the health of marine
ecosystems to ensure they remain
generations to come. fishery stakeholders — from fishers to
government officials — to have a say in
Five pathways to in place as soon as possible. functional and can help fisheries Five core the way rules are made and enforced.
recover from climate shocks or
climate-resilient disturbances. elements of
fisheries 2 Allocate secure rights to fishers
5 Implement effective governance

2 Anticipate and plan for future

5 Uphold principles of fairness sustainable that guarantee them access to a structures and accountability
portion of total fish catch and measures that ensure all fishery
changes in oceanographic
conditions and the geographic
and equity in decision-making to
ensure climate change does not
fisheries provide the necessary incentive for participants comply with established
distribution of fish populations. exacerbate existing inequalities management long-term conservation. management systems.
between socioeconomic groups.
3 Ensure management measures
3 Enhance international cooperation
and strengthen international
are flexible and can be adjusted
as ocean dynamics change to
institutions for shared fisheries ensure fisheries can continue
management. providing ecological and
socioeconomic benefits.

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Our climate resilience strategy POLAR ZONES

EDF has a bold new vision for We are promoting climate-resilient fisheries principles and practices at local, As the waters of the Arctic warm, this region will offer suitable habitat for many
tackling climate-driven changes national, regional and global levels, and we have developed a comprehensive species searching for cooler waters, and new fisheries will emerge. Today, we
strategy to help coastal communities around the world address social, economic lack comprehensive national and international solutions for effectively managing
in ocean dynamics. and environmental challenges and opportunities they will face due to climate new fishing pressure in this region, which has been largely covered by ice for
change. Climate impacts on fishing communities will be different in different thousands of years.
places. EDF is taking a regional approach to our work and employing a suite of
solutions to address the challenges and opportunities climate change presents in
three distinct zones: the tropical, temperate and polar regions. OUR STRATEGY CASE STUDY

THE TROPICS We will draw on our climate and EDF will work with the U.S., the Arctic
fisheries science expertise, our Council and other Arctic nations to
As temperatures rise in tropical waters, their ability to produce fish will decrease experience driving sustainable ensure the global community continues
significantly, key habitats like corals may decline and fish populations will move fisheries management reforms and taking a precautionary approach to
poleward in search of cooler waters and more suitable habitat. As a result, some lessons from other fisheries to bolster fishing in the Arctic’s rapidly-opening
countries may experience dramatic declines in the amount of seafood they can the Arctic’s existing science and waters. We will help the U.S. establish
produce, putting their food security and fishery-based livelihoods at risk. management capacities and ensure science-based practices, champion
effective management is put in place appropriate conservation and
OUR STRATEGY CASE STUDY for emerging fisheries at the national management standards in the region
level and in international waters. and use its leadership to help ensure
EDF is building strategies for new In Indonesia and the Philippines, EDF management in international waters
blue economy approaches that is building local capacity for sustainable supports sustainable use of the
combine sustainable fisheries, fisheries management in order to help Arctic ecosystem.
sustainable aquaculture, marine protect some of the world’s richest
tourism and future payments for marine biodiversity hotspots. Climate
ecosystem services, such as carbon change may cause declines in tropical
sequestration. By demonstrating fisheries productivity in the coming
viable pathways that simultaneously years, and new strategies will be
ensure human well-being and strong required to help communities in places
ocean stewardship, we can achieve like Indonesia and the Philippines
sustainable outcomes in these regions sustain their livelihoods and continue
that benefit communities and ocean protecting the rich biodiversity found in
ecosystems alike. their waters.  In these communities, we
will help incorporate additional ocean-
based opportunities into local economies.

TEMPERATE ZONES
Changing ocean temperatures are driving geographic shifts in most temperate
zone fisheries, and up to 80% of the world’s fish populations could shift across the
boundaries of one or more countries by 2100. As fish move across boundaries,
many well-established management systems and international agreements will
become ineffective and may collapse.

OUR STRATEGY CASE STUDY

EDF will help address fisheries shifts by In Chile and Peru, we are working to
strengthening management capacities advance science that extends beyond
in globally influential countries currently national boundaries to facilitate
lacking a foundation of sustainable ecosystem-scale fisheries management
management, and by supporting new that is critical in the face of climate
approaches for stocks shifting across change. We are helping put practices
traditional management boundaries. and tools in place for climate-smart
management, including an early warning
system for climate-driven ocean changes
that will support real-time adjustments to
fishing activity.
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Spreading solutions around the world Why EDF?
As a complement to our work in These solutions are specifically EDF has spent decades bringing Strong track record of success: EDF has a proven track record of success
local fishing communities, we designed to enhance climate resilience, innovative, science-based in advancing fisheries reform, climate-resilient fisheries principles, technology
and our partners — including applications for commercial and recreational fishing and management, and
are developing new scientific solutions to some of the biggest
other NGOs, multilateral funders, collaborative approaches for capacity building in small-scale fisheries. For example,
insights and a robust set of philanthropists, governments, seafood challenges facing our oceans in the United States, EDF has played a critical role in supporting fisheries reform
tools and technologies that can industries and communities — help and coastal communities. We by advocating for science-based management approaches and helping implement
be applied in a wide variety of us put them into action on the water. have become an established catch share programs across many commercial fisheries. Due in part to our efforts,
These solutions include: more than 90% of federally managed fisheries are now either rebuilt or on a clear
places and situations. and accomplished leader in the
rebuilding pathway.
oceans space by working closely
Electronic “smart boat” and other
with fishers and providing them On-the-ground community engagement: We work hand-in-hand with
technologies that generate information
with the incentives they need to communities, building trusting relationships and empowering them to implement
to improve fishing businesses, enhance
solutions that are good for the oceans and good for people. We work in dozens
management accountability, protect become champions of reform.
of communities worldwide and have helped drive national fisheries reform in the
sensitive habitats, anticipate climate
U.S., the European Union, Japan, Cuba and Belize. We support local communities
impacts on ecosystems, predict and
seeking to manage their fisheries sustainably by facilitating learning exchanges;
plan for changes in species abundance
sharing successful applications of science, policy and management tools;
and even reduce the carbon footprint of
advancing the development and application of novel technologies; and promoting
fishing activity.
rights-based management systems that align fisheries and conservation incentives.

Solutions that can be replicated: We advance science, policy, technologies, tools

Capacity building tools, trainings and information that are broadly applicable and can increase the sustainability and
and other resources that empower resilience of global commercial, small-scale and recreational fisheries.
governments, communities and other
stakeholders to design and implement Collaborative leadership model: While we offer deep expertise and decades of
management systems in small-scale experience in fisheries management, we are also a collaborative leader committed
fisheries around the world. to working closely with diverse international partners across the fishing industry,
government, academia and the private conservation
sectors at global, national and local scales.

Flexible, forward-looking fisheries

policies and management
systems that respond to emerging

Partnerships are our

opportunities and challenges,
including new recreational fisheries

key to success
management approaches, creative
applications of rights-based
management strategies and prediction
and early warning systems for climate
change impacts on fisheries. Our partnerships and relationships with fishers, managers,
governments, industry, scientists, multilateral funders,
foundations and individual donors are critical to our work and
help us drive transformational change in coastal communities
New models, best practices and
around the world.
policies to advance sustainable
marine aquaculture as a part of
global seafood solutions.

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Join Us! Learn

Thanks to the support and collaborative efforts

of our partners, we have made, and will continue
to make, lasting positive changes in our oceans.
We invite you to join the ranks of those already
Share
working with us to build healthier oceans
and a healthier planet that will support us for
generations to come.

Collaborate
edf.org/oceans

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edf.org/oceans