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The eight criteria of EBSAs in Japan are shown below. These consist of the seven EBSA criteria (1–7) identified by the COP9 (2008) of the CBD [PDF : 150KB]plus one additional independently established criterion. The area meeting the EBSA criteria of Japan must satisfy at least one of these criteria.
Criteria | Definition | Examples of application |
---|---|---|
1.Uniqueness or rarity | Area contains either (i) unique (“the only one of its kind”), rare (occurs only in few locations) or endemic species, populations or communities, and/or (ii) unique, rare or distinct, habitats or ecosystems; and/or (iii) unique or unusual geomorphological or oceanographic features | 1a Habitats of endemic / relict species 1b Last remaining habitat of species 1c Rare or distinct ecosystems |
2.Special importance for life-history stages of species | Areas that are required for a population to survive and thrive. | 2a Areas that are required for a species such as breeding grounds, spawning areas, nursery areas 2b Connectivity for genetic diversity |
3.Importance for threatened, endangered or declining species and/or habitats | Area containing habitat for the survival and recovery of endangered, threatened, declining species or area with significant assemblages of such species. | 3a Habitat for endangered species |
4.Vulnerability, fragility, sensitivity, or slow recovery | Areas that contain a relatively high proportion of sensitive habitats, biotopes or species that are functionally fragile (highly susceptible to degradation or depletion by human activity or by natural events) or with slow recovery. | 4a Slow-recovering species or ecosystem 4b Vulnerable or highly sensitive species or ecosystem |
5.Biological productivity | Area containing species, populations or communities with comparatively higher natural biological productivity. | 5a Highly productive area based of photosynthesis 5b Chemosynthesis ecosystem |
6.Biological diversity | Area contains comparatively higher diversity of ecosystems, habitats, communities, or species, or has higher genetic diversity | 6a Species diversity 6b Ecosystem diversity 6c Genetic diversity |
7.Naturalness | Area with a comparatively higher degree of naturalness as a result of the lack of or low level of human-induced disturbance or degradation. | 7a Location far-reaching from human impact 7b Location with few artificial changes or impacts |
8.Representativeness or Typicality | Area contains representative or typical feature of ecosystem and/or biotic community | 8a Typical or representative ecosystems, biotic communities, etc. 8b Typical or representative physical environment |
While the EBSA criteria of CBD were devised to promote protection of important marine areas beyond the national jurisdiction (High sea) from threats to biodiversity, it can be applied to identification of EBSA within the national jurisdiction (i.e., within territorial waters and EEZ).