Note from the Executive Secretary
Dr David Freestone
Executive Secretary
This special edition of the Sargasso Sea Commission newsletter is in celebration of World Oceans Week.

Although this year things may look a bit different, today we would like to recognize our partnerships around the world, as our work protecting the Sargasso Sea is inherently global. It is the only sea without a land boundary, and is connected to far-reaching parts of the world via major ocean currents and migratory species. Our policy work is global as well, with Signatory governments from ten countries and collaborating partners around the world. 
  
The Commission thanks each and every one of you for your support of our mission to conserve the Sargasso Sea - this World Oceans Day, and every day.
Announcement of Global Environment Facility Grant
On 2-3 June, the Global Environment Facility Council met virtually for the first time in its history to consider $700 million of funding for new projects and programs, covering topics including wildlife, biodiversity, oceans, and climate change adaptation. The Common Ocean work programme put forward by the Food & Agriculture Organization that was approved by the Council includes $3 million for our Sargasso Sea Project. Over the next year, the Sargasso Sea Commission Secretariat will be working with the United Nations Development Programme and IOC-UNESCO to develop the full project document. The Sargasso Sea Commission would like to express its gratitude in particular to Dr Andrew Hudson of UNDP for guiding this process and to Dr David Vousden for his help in drafting the project proposal.

Pictured below are the Sargasso Sea Commission, Signatory government focal points, and partners during an excursion to Nonsuch Island in Bermuda for the 5th anniversary of the Hamilton Declaration last year, when the GEF application was first discussed as a group.
IUCN Marine News
Programme Manager Teresa Mackey wrote an article titled "Sargasso Sea Commission celebrates milestone anniversary" for the latest edition of the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme newsletter , which will be released this week for World Oceans Day. The article takes a retrospective look at the five years since the signing of the Hamilton Declaration, and discussions at the March 2019 workshop in Bermuda on the next steps for stewardship of the Sargasso Sea. Participants at the March 2019 workshop at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences are pictured right.
Capitol Hill Oceans Week 2020
On June 9, the virtual Capitol Hill Ocean Week included a plenary session on High Seas: Shared Stewardship for Our Global Ocean. This event discussed the importance of protecting the high seas and how global efforts are defining high seas ocean governance. Opening remarks were given by the Executive Director of the Philip Stephenson Foundation and two members of the U.S. Senate, and the session was moderated by the Head of the World Ocean Initiative for The Economist Group. Panelists included former Ambassador David Balton (Woodrow Wilson Center), Ms Kristina Gjerde (IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme and Sargasso Sea Project, Inc. Board President), Ms Peggy Kalas (High Seas Alliance), Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu (Permanent Mission of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the UN), Ms Sophie Mirgaux (Special Envoy for the Ocean, Belgium), and Dr Callum Roberts (University of York).
ICCAT Sub-committee on Ecosystems meets virtually
From 4-6 May 2020, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas held their Sub-committee on Ecosystems meeting in an online format. Sargasso Sea Commission consultants Dr Laurence Kell and Dr Brian Luckhurst gave a presentation on the progress towards developing an Ecosystem Report Card for ICCAT using the Sargasso Sea as a case study. The Sub-committee recognized the Sargasso Sea Commission for their support of this invaluable work, and encouraged continued progress on the case study.
Odyssey Momentum 2020
The Odyssey Momentum (formerly the Hackathon) is rescheduled in a virtual format for 13-15 November. The Commission will be providing expertise to teams for the Protecting Marine Biodiversity in International Waters challenge. The goal of this challenge is for teams to build a data exchange infrastructure for stakeholders to contribute and access comprehensive knowledge about the high seas. Teams will address how their solution will help protect the marine environment and support the United Nations negotiations towards a treaty on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
Sargasso On-the-Go
"Rise Up" with Oceano Azul

On 26 May, the Sargasso Sea Commission signed on to "Rise Up- A Blue Call to Action" headed by the Oceano Azul Foundation. This effort hopes to urge governments and corporations to take bold action to safeguard the ocean. This effort was intended to coincide with the postponed UN Ocean conference in Portugal initially scheduled for 2-6 June 2020.
Seabed Mining Town Hall

On 21 May, SSPI Board President Kristina Gjerde and Lisa Speer, Director of the International Oceans program for NRDC, participated in a town hall on deep sea mining and international ocean policy hosted by Ocean Elders. Economist Nishan Degnarain also moderated the event.
#BlueShift

In May 2020, the Sargasso Sea Commission became a partner of the #BlueShift campaign led by The Ocean Foundation and REV Ocean. The Blue Shift is a global call to action which focuses on the linkages between economic and ocean health, including food security, underwater noise and plastic pollution, and marine genetic resources.
Thank you for supporting our mission to protect the Sargasso Sea. We truly appreciate all of the donations and support that we have received over the years -- without which the Sargasso Sea Commission would not exist.