Notification 2014-018

Dear Madam/Sir, Reference is made to the notification 2014-011 dated 21 January 2014, regarding the nomination of experts to the CBD North-west Atlantic Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs), 24 to 28 March 2014, Montreal, Canada. As indicated in the above notification and pursuant to the requests of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention in decisions X/29 and XI/17, the Secretariat is convening, with financial support from the Government of Canada, a North-west Atlantic regional workshop to facilitate the description of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs), from 24 to 28 March 2014, in Montreal, Canada. In order to allow the Secretariat to prepare necessary scientific input to the above-mentioned workshop in a timely manner, you are invited to provide relevant scientific information in support of the workshop’s objectives, as soon as possible, but no later than Monday, 3 March 2014. Submission of information should be sent to the CBD Secretariat via an e-mail addressed to secretariat@cbd.int or faxed to +1 514 288-6588. Relevant scientific information can be submitted in two ways: (1) by using the EBSA information template attached as an appendix to this letter, or (2) through another appropriate format, such as scientific articles, documents, datasets, maps or visual and audio information. Information should contribute to the description of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas through application of scientific criteria in annex I of decision IX/20 (http://www.cbd.int/decision/cop/?id=11663), as well as other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria. Please note that all the submitted information will be available only for consideration by the above-mentioned workshop. The information considered by the workshop will be kept in the CBD EBSA information-sharing mechanism, as called for by COP 11 in decision XI/17. I thank you for your continued support of the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points; Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and other regional fisheries management organizations; and other relevant global and regional organizations/initiatives