Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Potential and Illustrative Core Indicators:

Indicator 87: Ocean Health Index

Rationale and definition: Two-thirds of the world’s surface consists of oceans, and half of its surface consists of high seas. The health of oceans is critical for human wellbeing. No single variable is available to track the health of complex ocean and coastal systems, so the SDSN proposes to use the composite Ocean Health Index, which assesses the overall health of the world’s oceans.

The Ocean Health Index measures 10 aspects of marine ecosystems and their use by humans: food provision, artisanal fishing opportunities, natural products, carbon storage, coastal protection, tourism and recreation, coastal livelihoods and economies, sense of place, clean waters, and biodiversity.162 Each aspect is evaluated along four dimensions: present status, current trends, existing pressures, and resilience. These four dimensions take into consideration a wide range of factors such as ocean acidification and nutrient pollution (as pressures) and institutional factors such as marine protected areas (as contributing to resilience).163 In this way the Ocean Health Index provides the best available shorthand index for the status of the world’s oceans and coastal areas.

Disaggregation: We propose that the Ocean Health Index be compiled at national and regional levels.

Countries should also disaggregate the index by key marine systems.

Comments and limitations: The Index can be calculated for each country and region. Each dimension of the Index is assessed by local expert communities who define the appropriate reference points, which define the objective that the country will aim for, and against which measurements of progress can be monitored annually.

Preliminary assessment of current data availability by Friends of the Chair: C

Potential lead agency or agencies: Ocean Health Index Partnership.

Indicator 88: Percentage of fish stocks within safe biological limits (MDG Indicator)

Rationale and definition: The percentage of fish stocks within safe biological limits is defined as the percentage of fish stocks or species that are exploited within the level of maximum sustainable biological productivity. The indicator provides an important measure of the sustainable management of the world’s fisheries. The stock assessment classifies fish stocks into 3 categories: non-fully exploited, fully exploited, and overexploited. The stocks within safe biological limits are those classified as non-fully exploited and fully exploited. 164

Disaggregation: By region and global. Other opportunities for disaggregation to be reviewed

The FAO has divided the world oceans into 21 statistical areas and stock assessment is carried out based on these statistical areas. In total, 584 fish stocks and species have been monitored since 1974, with stock assessment information on 441 stock or species.

162 Halpern, B. et al., (2012), An index to assess the health and benefits of the global ocean, Nature 488, 615–620. See : http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v488/n7413/full/nature11397.html 163 For detailed information on the methodology used to calculate the Index, see: www.oceanhealthindex.com 164 See MDG Indicators website for consideration on “maximum sustainable biological productivity” and method of computation: http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mi/wiki/7-4-Proportion-of-fish-stocks-within-safe-biological-limits.ashx

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Comments and limitations: To be reviewed.

Preliminary assessment of current data availability by Friends of the Chair: B

Potential lead agency or agencies: FAO.

Additional indicators that countries may consider:

• [Use of destructive fishing techniques] - Indicator to be developed: This indicator tracks the use of destructive fishing techniques, such as trolley fishing.

• [Eutrophication of major estuaries] - Indicator to be developed: The increased levels of nutrient runoff and untreated sewage resulting from human activities, are leading to eutrophication, harmful algal blooms (HAB)165 and “dead zones”. The levels of eutrophication need to be monitored in all major estuaries.

• [Indicator on the implementation of spatial planning strategies for coastal and marine areas]— to be developed: Marine spatial planning is a strategy to distribute (spatially and temporally) human activities in coastal and marine areas in order to guarantee those ecological, social and economic objectives that are decided through a public and political process.166

• Area of coral reef ecosystems and percentage live cover: This indicator measures the area of live coral reef ecosystem coverage within the national waters.

165 Naeem, S., Viana, V., Visbeck, M., (2014, forthcoming), Forests, Oceans, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Draft report of the Thematic Group FOBES, SDSN. To be published by Sustainable Development Solutions Network. 166 For more information, see website of IOC UNESCO initiative on marine spatial planning: http://www.unesco-ioc-marinesp.be

Revised working draft (July 25, 2014)