ICCAT: Catch Measures adopted

The 17th Extraordinary Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) took place from 17-27 November in Paris, France, bringing together over 500 delegates from 35 contracting parties. The Commission reviewed the status of tuna stocks and by caught species, including sharks and turtles, in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The contracting parties adopted: new management measures for bigeye and bluefin tunas and North Atlantic swordfish, as well as for the conservation of sharks and sea turtles that are taken as by catch and improved measures for monitoring, surveillance and control. Recommendations

FAO: Policy for engaging with Indigenous Communities

FAO has developed a guidance document titled "FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples," aimed to guide systematic and responsible engagement with indigenous peoples and their organizations. Priority areas of work identified as the basis for greater collaboration include:
- Natural resources, environment and genetic resources;
- Climate change and bioenergy;
- Land and territories;
- Food security, nutrition and the right to food;
- Communication and knowledge systems;
- Cultural and biological diversity; and
- Economic opportunity for sustainable livelihoods.

Go to: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/newsroom/docs/FAO_policy.pdf

CMS: Future Shape

The three-phase process to lay out a future strategy of the CMS Family continues. The 37^th Standing Committee reviewed the work undertaken during the 2^nd phase and provided inputs to the Working Group as it seeks to develop three scenarios for a future strategy to be considered by COP-10. See: http://www.cms.int/bodies/future_shape/future_shape_mainpage.htm

IUCN: Global Ocean Protection

This new publication by IUCN seeks to assist in the collective effort to find new and better solutions to address the various threats to the marine biological diversity and productivity. It provides evidence-based recommendations on improving and accelerating actions on delivering ocean protection and management through marine protected areas and facilitates the sharing of experiences and lessons learned. Go to: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2010-053.pdf

Norway: Nature Diversity Act

After coming into force on 1 July, 2009, the Norwegian government has produced an English translation of its "Nature Diversity Act" The purpose of the Act is “...to protect biological, geological and landscape diversity and ecological processes through conservation and sustainable use,...”.Available at: www.regjeringen.no/en/doc/laws/Acts/nature-diversity-at.html?id=570549.

INTERPOL: Environmental Crime Resolution

Police agencies of the world have supported INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Programme with delegates attending INTERPOL’s General Assembly in Doha, Qatar voting unanimously in favour of a resolution encouraging greater global policing efforts.The resolution calls upon national law enforcement authorities to recognize that “environmental crime is not restricted by borders and involves organized crime networks which engage in other crime types including murder, corruption, fraud and theft”. It notes that there is a vital need for a global response and that INTERPOL should play a leading role in supporting national and international enforcement. ‘Environmental crime’ encompasses activities ranging from illegal trade in wildlife, timber and marine species, to transborder movements of hazardous waste, and the illicit exploitation of natural resources. Resolution

UNEP: Free publications online

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has made 380 of its publications freely available online through the Biodiversity Heritage Library, a non-profit consortium. UNEP-WCMC publications