Notification 2025-111

Dear Sir or Madam,

Through notification 2025-034, dated 17 March 2025, Parties and other Governments were informed that the Secretariat is able to receive submissions of new descriptions of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) and of modifications of existing EBSA descriptions, in line with the modalities contained in the annex to decision 16/6. The decision addresses, among other issues, procedures for the submission of new EBSA descriptions and of modifications to existing EBSA descriptions in (i) national jurisdiction for inclusion in the EBSA repository, (ii) national jurisdiction for inclusion in the EBSA information-sharing mechanism and (iii) areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The present notification concerns the submission of new EBSA descriptions and modifications within national jurisdiction for inclusion in the EBSA repository ((i) above). In view of the dates of the twenty-eighth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) (27 July–1 August 2026) and the time required for the open-comment period[1], and to prepare the relevant documentation for the meeting, the Secretariat would need to receive submissions by 30 September 2025 if they are to be considered at SBSTTA 28 and COP 17. Submissions received after that date could only be considered at subsequent meetings of SBSTTA and COP.

Please note that submissions within national jurisdiction intended for inclusion in the EBSA information-sharing mechanism ((ii) above) do not require consideration by SBSTTA. Regarding submissions in areas beyond national jurisdiction ((iii) above), these require, among other steps, discussion at a regional workshop convened by the Secretariat. No such workshops are currently scheduled and, as such submissions in areas beyond national jurisdiction will not be addressed at SBSTTA 28. Submissions within or beyond national jurisdiction may be sent to the Secretariat at any time.

In addition to decision 16/6, you may also wish to consult the handbook that provides further explanations of the steps and procedures involved in the modalities outlined in the annex to the decision (available at: https://www.cbd.int/marine/ebsa/ebsa-handbook-en.pdf). 

I wish to reiterate some important points regarding submissions:

• Submissions intended to be included in the EBSA repository must be prepared using the template for ecologically or biologically significant marine areas; the template is optional for submissions intended for the information-sharing mechanism.
• Submissions addressing areas beyond national jurisdiction may be provided by any State, individually or collectively, including through competent intergovernmental organizations.
• Submissions addressing areas within national jurisdiction can only be provided by the State within whose jurisdiction the modification or description is proposed.
• Submissions must be sent to the Secretariat by the CBD National Focal Point (with respect to States) or by the head of the Secretariat (with respect to competent intergovernmental organizations).

Please accept, Sir, Madam, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(Signed) Astrid Schomaker

Executive Secretary

[1] As per decision 16/6, submissions must undergo a six-month open comment period before consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Conference of the Parties.