Biodiversity Policy Engagement Analysis
Biodiversity Lobbying Overview: SeaBOS appears to have positive high-level messaging on biodiversity loss, with an unclear position on the need for biodiversity policy. SeaBOS has a moderate level of engagement on policy related to biodiversity loss, with mostly positive positives.
Top-line Messaging on Biodiversity Loss: In its 2017-2022 Progress Report, SeaBOS outlines the “unprecedented rate” of current biodiversity loss, and acknowledges that “The seafood industry represents a key risk to endangered species.” SeaBOS appears to support action to limit biodiversity loss. On its corporate website, accessed in September 2024, SeaBOS supports urgent action to protect marine ecosystems from plastic pollution. On its endangered species webpage, SeaBOS also discloses its ambition to align with global biodiversity goals outlined in the UN Convention of Biological Diversity. In a 2023 scientific brief, SeaBOS discloses engagement with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), but it is unclear whether SeaBOS supports the need for government regulation in response to biodiversity loss.
Engagement with Biodiversity-Related Regulations: SeaBOS has generally taken positive positions towards policies intending to curb biodiversity loss due to the overexploitation of natural resources, including efforts to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. In its 2017-2022 Progress Report, SeaBOS confirms that it “has engaged in multiple policy processes directly relevant to addressing IUU fishing”, such as an appeal to G20 governments that called for FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to combat IUU fishing. In a 2022 press release, SeaBOS supports policy to limit government subsidies that incentivise overfishing stocks, stating “We recognize the important progress that has been made within those negotiations and urge governments to take all possible steps to conclude an agreement on phasing out harmful subsidies.”
In contrast, SeaBOS’ overall position towards policies intended to curb biodiversity loss due to habitat use change is less clear. In its 2023 Ocean Stewardship Brief, SeaBOS describes the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), but does not provide its position on the policy. However, SeaBOS has also taken positive positions. For example, in a Governance and Regulations brief, accessed in October 2024, SeaBOS appears to support “creating protected areas” to improve fisheries management.
SeaBOS appears to have limited engagement and does not provide a clear position on policies designed to mitigate biodiversity loss due to pollution. In its 2023 Ocean Stewardship Brief, SeaBOS comments on steps made by the UN to introduce an internation legally-binding treaty to end plastic pollution, but does not provide any position.
Positioning on Statutory Protection of Wildlife: SeaBOS has generally taken positive positions towards policies designed to protect endangered species. In December 2023 comments, SeaBOS Managing Director, Martin Exel, disclosed engagement in a roundtable containing government officials, to develop strategies that reduce the impact and incidence of bycatch involving endangered seabirds.
InfluenceMap collects and assesses evidence of corporate biodiversity policy engagement on a weekly basis, depending on the availability of information from each specific data source (for more information see our methodology). While this analysis flows through to the company’s scores each week, the summary above is updated periodically. This summary was last updated in Q4 2024.