The Friends of Ocean Action shall host a webinar, entitled, Eliminating Harmful Fisheries Subsidies, 30 June 2020 from 16:00 CEST. This follows the chair of the Negotiating Group on Rules sharing a draft consolidated text on 25 June 2020.
For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
On 25 June 2020 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) amended the Rules of Court, adding a new Article 59(2) and amending Article 94(2):
Article 59
1. The hearing in Court shall be public, unless the Court shall decide otherwise, or unless the parties demand that the public be not admitted. Such a decision or demand may concern either the whole or part of the hearing, and may be made at any time.
2. The Court may decide, for health, security or other compelling reasons, to hold a hearing entirely or in part by video link. The parties shall be consulted on the organization of such a hearing.
Article 94
1. When the Court has completed its deliberations and adopted its judgment, the parties shall be notified of the date on which it will be read.
2. The judgment shall be read at a public sitting of the Court. The Court may decide, for health, security or other compelling reasons, that the judgment shall be read at a sitting of the Court accessible to the parties and the public by video link. The judgment shall become binding on the parties on the day of the reading.
The amendments entered into force 25 June 2020. Thus, the public hearing on the question of the ICJ’s jurisdiction in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela), scheduled for 30 June 2020, will be via videoconference. The representatives of Guyana will address the Court by video link and the public may follow via a live webcast. This dispute extends to a law of the sea dispute, as evident in Guyana’s Application instituting proceedings (paras. 53, 55).
For more information see Press Releases No. 2020/16 and No. 2020/17.
Filed under International Organizations, Treaties
The Centre for Trust, Peace, and Social Relations (CTPSR) at Coventry University is seeking a PhD candidate to study the topic, Pandemics as a non-traditional maritime security challenge – exploring the impact of COVID-19 on maritime trade and border management. Applications are welcome until 20 July 2020.
For more information see here.
Filed under Vacancies
On 24 June 2020 the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia (2) issued a press release, entitled, Iranian flagged fishing vessels identified operating illegally in Somalian EEZ. Somalia calls upon Iran to cooperate in addressing the suspected (at least) 112-193 Iranian fishing vessels operating in the EEZ of Somalia and Yemen between January 2019 to 14 April 2020. The information has been shared with the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Foreign flagged vessels may only fish in the Somalian exclusive economic zone beyond 24 nautical miles, and currently only 31 Chinese-flagged vessels are licenced.
Filed under State Practice
Closing date for applications is 8 July 2020 with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for a marine policy officer vacancy based in Brussels (Belgium). The officer will ensure that there is a coordinated approach across the WWF European network to effectively influence and implement EU marine policies including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), Maritime Spatial Planning Directive (MSP) Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and International Ocean Governance. Further information is available here.
Filed under Non-State Actors, Vacancies
The Center for International Maritime Security and Stable Seas are seeking posts for their online symposium, entitled, Ocean Governance. Submissions are welcome until 13 July 2020. This call forms part of the wider Project Trident.
For more information see the call for posts.
Filed under Calls
Closing date for applications is 12 July 2020 with Wageningen University & Research for an assistant professorship in Governance of Coastal Resilience. The position requires adapting to existing courses taught by the Environmental Policy Group in the Masters of Aquaculture and Marine Resources Management, Environmental Sciences, and Tourism, Society & Environment. Research activities should contribute to social scientific debates around policy and management of coastal environments and how they contribute to resilient coastal communities and industries under conditions of environmental globalisation. Further information is available here.
Filed under Vacancies
On the 11 June 2020 Singapore and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) signed the Model Agreement: Agreement for the provision of facilities for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea / a Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to sit or otherwise exercise its functions in the Republic of Singapore in [case name]. The Model Agreement establishes the terms and conditions under which the Singapore government shall provide appropriate facilities for the Tribunal, or a Chamber of the Tribunal, to sit or otherwise exercise its functions in Singapore (art. 2).
The Model Agreement enables ITLOS to implement Article 1(3) of UNCLOS Annex VI, whereby the Tribunal may sit and exercise its functions outside of Hamburg (Germany) whenever it considers this desirable. Consultations concerning Singapore as a seat for the Tribunal began in 2007, resulting in the 2015 Joint Declaration Signed between Ministry of Law and President of the Tribunal (2). Negotiations on the terms of the Model Agreement, as per Article 7 of the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, concluded in October 2019.
For more information see the Model Agreement, the Model Annex and the Joint Press Release (ITLOS/Press 239); Joint Press Release (ITLOS/Press 303).
Filed under International Organizations, State Practice
The Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has published recommendations authorizing France to extend its continental shelf off the islands of La Réunion and Saint-Paul and Amsterdam. According to these recommendations, published on 10 June 2020, France may extend its continental shelf off the islands of La Réunion and Saint-Paul and Amsterdam (French Southern and Antarctic Lands). France will thus expand its submarine domain by 151,323 km2 (58,121 km2 off La Réunion and 93,202 km2 off Saint-Paul and Amsterdam). Further information is available here (in French).
Filed under State Practice
Rud Pedersen Public Affairs is hosting a virtual event series entitled The Blue Deal Debates. The fifth webinar, entitled, How to Control the Fishermen – Out of Sea, Out of Sight?, will be held on the 9 June 2020 from 13:00 (CET).
For more information and registration see here.
Filed under Events
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) welcome essay submissions to their Space for Youth Competition, this year’s topic being, Space as a tool to address climate challenges: examples from local communities. Submissions are welcome until 21 June 2020.
For more information see here.
Filed under Competitions
The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI) shall host a webinar, entitled, What solutions to fight plastic pollution in the ocean?, 8 June 2020 from 14:30 (CEST). This webinar will build on IDDRI’s recent report, Combatting marine plastic litter: state of play and perspectives (June 2020).
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The Global Maritime Forum welcomes submissions for its Future Maritime Leaders essay competition, addressing the question, Over the next decade, how can the maritime sector continue to contribute to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals? Submissions are welcome until 21 June 2020.
For more information see here.
Filed under Calls, Competitions
The Centre for Maritime Law and Security Africa shall host a webinar, entitled, Gulf of Guinea Oceans Governance Dialogue: Covid-Piracy, Coastal Communities, Needed Responses, 8 June 2020 from 14:00 (GMT).
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) shall host a webinar, entitled, Launch of The State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) 2020, 8 June 2020 from 13:00 (CET).
For more information see here. Previous SOFIA reports may be found here.
Filed under Events
EarthX shall host a virtual event, entitled, EarthxOcean, 9-11 June 2020 from 13:00 (CDT). Sessions include High Seas Initiative, Coral Reef Restoration, Ocean Plastic Solutions and Sustainable Fisheries.
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The official UN World Oceans Day 2020 virtual event, entitled, Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean, will take place 8 June 2020, from 10:00 (EDT).
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is hosting a webinar entitled Building Ambition for a new High Seas Treaty: Marine Genetic Resources. This is the first in a four part IUCN Webinar Series preparing for the Fourth Intergovernmental Conference for an international legally binding agreement on marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (IGC4).
This event is set to happen on 5 June 2020. Registration is possible here.
Filed under Events
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung shall host a webinar, entitled, Closed Ports, Dubious Partners: The EU’s Policy of Outsourcing Responsibility in the Mediterranean, 2 June 2020 at 19:00 (CET). Discussion will focus on the recent publication (May 2020) of the same name.
For more information see here.
Filed under Events
De Maribus 