Action 58: Education programmes
Action Title: Develop marine litter assessment sheets to assist Contracting Parties in developing material for education programmes, including those for professional seafarers and fishermen.
Lead Party(ies): The Netherlands and KIMO International with assistance of Seas at Risk, ProSea Foundation and Germany
What is the issue?
Awareness on the impact of marine litter is essential in changing behaviour. This was the focus of this action through the development and implementation of sustainability education programmes for fishers should enable fishers to gain understanding of sustainable fishing, of the marine environment and its challenges and of the economic viability of the fishing industry.
What has OSPAR Done?
OSPAR adopted Recommendation 2019/01 to reduce marine litter by promoting the implementation of sustainability education programmes for fishers including addressing the social, economic and ecological impacts of marine litter. The Recommendation was underpinned by a background document and supported by a set of guidelines (OSPAR Agreement 2019-08).
Final outputs and published reports
ACTION COMPLETED
Background Document produced and OSPAR Recommendation 2019/01 on the reduction of marine litter through the Implementation of Sustainability Education Programmes for Fishers
An explanatory note accompanies Recommendation 2019/01
OSPAR published its Intermediate Assessment in 2017. As well as fulfilling reporting obligations under the MSFD for those Contracting Parties who are also EU Member States, this collection of assessments also showcased the latest marine litter data gathered by OSPAR. The results of the three marine litter assessments are available to the public and can be accessed here.
