Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Strategic Action Programme.

This Strategic Action Programme (SAP) is based on the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) which was endorsed in March 2012 by the eight countries of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME). The SAP is a plan at the regional level that sets out a programme of actions which address the causes of the major fisheries, environmental and social and economic issues. The SAP confirms a regional vision (a high-level, long-term goal) for the BOBLME: A healthy ecosystem and sustainable use of marine living resources for the benefit of the people and countries of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem.
The fundamental principles and concepts that guide the SAP include: government commitment, ecosystem approach, precautionary approach, gender-sensitivity, etc. The SAP include four themes which reflects major areas for action: marine living resources, critical habitats, water quality, and social and economic considerations. The SAP has identified four ecosystem quality objectives (EcoQOs): 1.Fisheries and other marine living resources are restored and managed sustainably; 2. Degraded, vulnerable and critical marine habitats are restored, conserved and maintained; 3. Coastal and marine pollution and water quality are controlled to meet agreed standards for human and ecosystem health; 4. Social and economic constraints are addressed, leading to increased resilience and empowerment of coastal people. The SAP further sets up specific objectives, targets, indicators for each themes. The targets include: Increase abundance and biomass of selected national and transboundary fish stocks by 5% by 2025; Reduce fishing capacity in degraded fisheries by 10% by 2025; Reduce IUU fishing in the region by 20% by 2025; Increase the biomass of higher trophic level species (e.g. large demersals, tuna and sharks) by 5% by 2025; Enhance species richness in selected ecosystems; Eliminate the use of destructive fishing gear and practices by 2025, including in critical habitats; Reduce incidental catch of vulnerable and endangered species by 50% by 2025; 20–25% of lost mangrove area restored by 2050; 50% of total mangrove area under conservation management by 2050; >10% of the original diversity of mangroves restored by 2050; 10% of the existing area of coral reefs under an appropriate form of sustainable management and protection by 2050; 100% of effluent discharged from sewage treatment systems is treated to meet national waste water quality standards by 2025; etc. Under the Theme 4 on social and economic considerations, the specific objectives are set up in the SAP, includig: Reduce vulnerability to natural hazards, climate variability and climate change, and increase climate resilience; Improve the living and working conditions of coastal fishing communities.