The Deep-sea fisheries (DSF) project is one of five child projects of the Global Environmental Facility
(GEF) funded Common Oceans Program Phase II (2022-2027). The DSF project is implemented by
FAO and executed by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), in
collaboration with co-financing partners, which include the seven regional fisheries management
organizations (RFMOs) responsible for the management of deep-sea fisheries stocks in areas beyond
national jurisdiction (ABNJ)1, as well as other international and national organizations2. The objective
of the project is to ensure that DSF in the ABNJ are managed under an ecosystem approach that
maintains demersal fish stocks at levels capable of maximizing their sustainable yields and
minimizing impacts on biodiversity, with a focus on data-limited stocks, deepwater sharks and
vulnerable marine ecosystems.