Review of the Implementation of Aichi Biodiversity Targets with Special Reference to Inland, Coastal and Marine Fisheries Sectors

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Strategic Plan (SP) for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. The SP comprises five strategic goals and 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets; these targets were agreed for implementation by the CBD signatory countries. The Aichi Biodiversity Target 6 states that by 2020 all fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested sustainably. Even though substantial progress has been made towards achieving this target, globally, a third of the marine fish stocks are overfished and many fisheries are causing unsustainable levels of bycatch of non-target species and are damaging marine habitats. The Global Biodiversity Outlook-5, 2020 (GBO-5) report says that the biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate and the pressures driving this decline are intensifying and none of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets is fully met. The present study has reviewed the implementation of the global Aichi Biodiversity Targets by India and other countries focusing on fisheries sector and has brought out good practices adopted by the countries in implementing these targets.