With the sustainable fisheries negotiations resuming next week, below is a compilation of the latest news from recent RFMO meetings and their progress towards implementation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 61/105 paragraphs 83-86 on the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems from high seas bottom fishing.
Available in English.
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Source: WWF
Governance of the world’s oceans is characterized by a patchwork of organizations tasked with the conservation and management of living marine resources. Formal co-operation between States through Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) dates back to at least the 1920s and there are now 16 RFMOs with a mandate to establish binding management measures for fisheries resources. While some gaps remain, particularly with respect to discrete, high seas fish stocks, the vast majority of the marine fisheries resources of the world’s oceans are under the control of at least one, if not more than one, RFMO.
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Source: UNEP
We live in an age of ocean discovery. Advances in science and technology are unveiling secrets and shattering myths about the oceans that are changing the way we view life on Earth. There is an urgent need to apply these new insights to manage human activities to protect, restore and maintain ocean life in all its variety so that life on Earth can continue to prosper
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Still uncovering the mysteries of the deep – Second Addendum to Political Momentum is Building Rapidly
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This paper briefly assesses progress toward meeting the conservation mandates in the UN Fish Stocks Agreement (FSA) with respect to controlling destructive fishing and protecting deep ocean habitats beyond areas of national jurisdiction, and recommends actions to protect such vulnerable habitats.
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Quotes from key people within the EU, Greenpeace (pdf).
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eview Conference on the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
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The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition welcomes paragraphs 73 and 74 of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries which call for a review of progress on actions by States and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) or arrangements to address the effect of destructive fishing practices, including bottom trawling, on vulnerable marine ecosystems. As the high seas bottom trawling review commences in 2006, the DeepSea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) considers it imperative that clear benchmarks belaid down to illustrate what would constitute effective implementation of measures to give effect to these paragraphs.
Available in English.
Addendum to Political Momentum is Building Rapidly
In April 2005, the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) published the paper, A moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawling on the high seas: political momentum is building rapidly. The paper described the growing number of States which support United Nations (UN) action on this issue, and/or which have taken steps to curb the problem in their own areas of jurisdiction. Since this time, momentum has continued to grow, and this paper serves as an addendum to the original publication, highlighting the global reach of support for a UN General Assembly moratorium on high seas bottom trawlin.
Available in English.
