Regional fisheries management organizations and the new biodiversity agreement: challenge or opportunity?

In 2018, the international community began formal intergovernmental negotiations over a new legally binding instrument for the protection of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Protecting marine biodiversity is imperative for a sustainable future, and all the different organizations and agreements will have to work together to achieve this common goal. One of the first key principles to be agreed was to “not undermine” the existing legal instruments or mandates of regional and sectoral marine governance organizations. While fisheries are not being discussed during the negotiations, a marine biodiversity agreement is likely to still impact regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), due to overlapping areas of interest. This article aims to firstly, assess the potential constraints posed by the commitment to “not undermine”; secondly, consider how aspects of the biodiversity agreement, such as area‐based management and environmental impact assessments, might enhance RFMOs; and thirdly, suggest meaningful ways to ensure cooperation between RFMOs and the marine biodiversity agreement.