30x30 Ocean Action Plan 2025

30x30 Ocean Action Plan25 24OECMs 10141 Progress towards 30x30 requires multiple tools to support a healthy ocean and thriving communities through biodiversity conservation. Other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) in the ocean are areas that by definition deliver effective in situ biodiversity conservation, even though their management objective may not primarily be conservation. Over the last few years, focus on OECMs, alongside marine protected areas (MPAs), has grown since they can deliver effective conservation outcomes for nature and people and contribute to global marine conservation targets such as Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). OECMs present opportunities to recognise effective conservation happening in diverse areas across the world with different conservation approaches. One such aspect is to recognise the governance and knowledge systems of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), with their traditions, practices and innovations respected and their rights upheld. These systems have long sustained biodiversity and offered valuable models for effective, community-led conservation. Despite the benefits, there are concerns that OECMs can be misused when reporting and counting areas that are not effective for biodiversity conservation. Therefore, as with MPAs, focus on the “effectiveness” in OECMs as well as MPAs is paramount. Globally, countries such as Indonesia are exploring the potential of OECMs to count towards conservation targets, and Canada has already reported marine OECMs to the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), which account for 5.66% of Canada’s total marine area conserved.42 Yet compared to MPAs, global reporting of OECMs remains limited – at present reported OECMs are only 0.24% of the total area of the ocean as of May 2025.43 Increased reporting of OECMs is expected before 2030, but concerns persist about quality of conservation and inclusivity of recognition and reporting processes. IPLCs’ self- determination is integral when considering OECMs. In addition, securing and ensuring mechanisms to obtain continual free, prior, and informed consent from IPLCs to declare, recognise, or report an OECM remains a crucial issue.The promise of OECMs is considerable, but only if the areas counted are those that actually ensure continued protection of biodiversity and its benefits, and where applicable, recognise and respect the rights of IPLCs. Areas of the ocean where destructive and harmful extractive activities are prevented and activities that support biodiversity are fostered are key for accelerating meaningful action for conserving our ocean heritage. Achieving those goals of high quality, transparent, and inclusive reporting requires clear and credible tools for recognising truly effective OECMs based on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) OECM criteria contained in CBD Decision 14/8 (2018). To that end, an effort that aims to provide accessible, actionable, and evidence-based guidance to understand the likelihood of biodiversity conservation in candidate OECMs is underway with expertise and engagement from a diverse international group of 85 co-authors, led by scientists at Oregon State University. This collaboration will produce an “OECM Guide”. The Guide will use science and Indigenous traditional and local knowledge to understand the impact of human activities in ocean areas and identify effective biodiversity conservation. These areas/measures are likely to contribute to Target 3 of the GBF as OECMs. The Guide is intended to be used alongside existing tools and guidance such as those developed by IUCN and FAO and complementing MPA tools like The MPA Guide.44,45,46