Notification 2018-004

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to circulate for peer review the report of the Expert Workshop to Develop Options for Modifying the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas, for Describing New Areas, and for Strengthening the Scientific Credibility and Transparency of this Process, which was held in Berlin, Germany, from 5 to 8 December 2017. This workshop was convened in response to decision XIII/12 (paragraph 10), whereby the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity requested the Executive Secretary to organize an expert workshop to develop options for modifying the description of areas meeting the criteria for ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs), for describing new areas, and for strengthening the scientific credibility and transparency of this process. In the same decision, the Executive Secretary was requested to make available the report of this workshop for subsequent peer-review by Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations, and to report on its progress to a future meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice for its consideration, prior to the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. The report of the expert workshop is available at https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/6ac0/03a0/d4179dfc152efaeefd81d35e/ebsa-em-2017-01-03-en.pdf, and a template for providing review comments is available at https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/mar/ebsaem-2017-01/template-for-comments.doc. Comments, making use of the review template, as well as any other relevant input, should be sent by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int or by fax to +1 514 288 6588, no later than 9 February 2018. We advise that comments focus on annexes III, IV and V of the report, which contain the main substantive outcomes of the workshop. Comments provided in response to this notification will be compiled and made available, together with the workshop report as adopted by the workshop, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice during its twenty-second meeting. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, Marine and Coastal Biodiversity Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, relevant United Nations/international organizations, IPLCs and other relevant organizations