GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD CREATE OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS OCEAN-RELATED ISSUES, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TOLD
Press Release
ENV/DEV/507
GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHOULD CREATE OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP TO DISCUSS OCEAN-RELATED ISSUES, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TOLD
19990422 Commission Continues High-level Segment, Focusing on Oceans and SeasThe General Assembly should create an open-ended working group to discuss ocean-related issues, the seventh session of the Commission on Sustainable Development was told by Government Ministers this afternoon as its high-level segment continued, focusing on oceans and seas.
Such a working group could enhance the Assembly's annual debate on oceans and the law of the sea, Ireland's Minister for Marine and Natural Resources said. The framework for coordinated global action already existed in Agenda 21 -- the programme of action adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) -- and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. What was needed now was institutional renewal, not new institutions.
Similarly, Colombia's representative said the creation of new bureaucratic mechanisms with financial implications should be avoided. The Assembly was the competent organ responsible for evaluating issues of oceans and seas, and he welcomed any innovation to improve its dialogue on those issues. Papua New Guinea's representative said participation in the working group should be all-inclusive, with participation from all the major groups, such as non-governmental organizations and industry.
France's Minister of Territory and Environment said the working group should not be a new structure as such, but rather a forum for debate between States and other stakeholders. It would make recommendations to the Assembly on coordination and follow-up of ocean issues. Stressing that existing agreements must be fully implemented, including those on fisheries, she said that United Nations system bodies were essential in that effort.
Statements were also made by representatives of Portugal, Monaco, Russian Federation, Madagascar, Philippines, Pakistan, Malaysia, Iceland, Mozambique, Canada and Mexico. The United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Hans Corell, addressed the Commission on issues related to coordination.
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After the Ministers' formal addresses, the Commission resumed its interactive dialogue on oceans and seas, with a view to refining elements for its draft decision. Possible elements had been proposed by its Inter- Sessional Ad Hoc Working Group on Oceans and Seas and on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.
By-catch -- the incidental catch of sea birds and non-targeted fish species -- represented 25 per cent of all fish caught, the Commission's Chairman, Simon Upton (New Zealand) said. That was probably the highest control failure rate of any industry in the world, he noted. A representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said some 20 million fish were discarded annually, which was less than the 27 million of previous years.
Canada's representative said the fishing industry in his country had proven quite innovative when it had faced the threat of a complete ban on salmon fishing if by-catch was not reduced. The representative of Finland said simple actions such as adjusting nets and changing their shape could reduce by-catch considerably.
Another topic of discussion was fishing subsidies. A World Wildlife Fund representative said it was unclear where the billions of dollars in subsidies went, and the Commission should call for cooperation in fact-finding efforts. Iceland's representative said government subsidies were a primary cause of fishing over capacity. Abolition of government subsidies and other trade distortions would provide a win-win solution for trade and environmental concerns.
Agreeing, the representative of the United States said the obstacles to sustainable fisheries posed by by-catch and destructive fishing practices, such as dynamiting, illegal and unregulated fishing and subsidies were priorities.
Japan's representative, however, said his country's views were different. In his country, subsidies played an important role in realizing socio-economic goals and reduced excessive fishing capacity. The FAO should examine subsidies to identify which factors contributed to fishing beyond capacity.
The Commission is considering oceans and seas -- including land-based sources of marine pollution and illegal and unregulated fishing -- during its two-week session, being held from 19 to 30 April. Other substantive themes are: consumption and production patterns; the threats and potential of tourism; and the challenges facing small island developing States.
The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 23 April, to continue its high-level segment, focusing on preparatory work towards the General Assembly's upcoming special session -- to be held from 27 to 28 September -- to review the 1994 Barbados Programme of Action on Small Island Developing States.
Commission Work Programme
The Commission on Sustainable Development this afternoon met to continue the high-level segment of its seventh annual session. Held from 21 to 23 April, this segment brings together government ministers and policy makers from around the world to address the four substantive issues for the Commission's session -- oceans and seas, sustainable tourism, consumption patterns, and small island developing States.
The Commission monitors implementation of Agenda 21, the programme of action adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) (Rio de Janeiro, 1992). In June 1997, at its nineteenth special session, the General Assembly adopted the Programme for Further Implementation of Agenda 21, recommending measures to improve implementation of the document, aimed at reshaping human activities to minimize environmental damage and ensure development sustainability.
The Commission has before it reports of the Secretary-General and of the two Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Working Groups on: consumption and production patterns, and on oceans and seas and the sustainable development of small island States. (For background on the reports, see Press Releases ENV/DEV/504 of 21 April and ENV/DEV/506 of 22 April; for background on the session, see Press Release ENV/DEV/498 of 16 April.)
Statements
ELISA FERREIRA, Minister for the Environment of Portugal, said the special role and nature of coastal zones called for the emergence of effective and integrated intersectoral management. Such management had been a priority at the national level in her country. Portugal had taken a number of initiatives in 1998 in relation to the International Year of the Ocean, including holding a world expo dedicated to the oceans with participation of all parts of the world. Also in 1998, Portugal had been chairman and host of a ministerial conference for the protection of the marine environment.
There should be greater international efforts to elaborate guidelines for the sustainable use of oceans and seas, she added. The world should not lose the momentum generated by the International Year of the Ocean. Her country attached great importance to the roles of the General Assembly and the Commission in that regard. The outcome of this session of the Commission would be an indicator of its effectiveness. The appropriate institutional adjustments should be made to increase protection of the oceans. However, those adjustments should be based on the existing system and should go well beyond cosmetic formulations.
BERNARD FAUTRIER, Minister of International Cooperation for the Environment and Development of Monaco, said Monaco's action programme for the
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Mediterranean concentrated on the reduction of pollution and the preservation of biodiversity. The issue of overfishing was of great concern to his country and the consequences of unsustainable fishing was dramatic. Monaco had established a submarine preserve to reintroduce species that had disappeared from its coastal waters. Due to such efforts, one could find more than cans and bottles in the waters.
He added that greater efforts should be given to the development of fish populations that did not have economic value -- such species were important for the environment and for preserving biodiversity. Monaco was creating an international sanctuary for marine mammals which would cover 10 square kilometres. The Mediterranean sea should be seen as a common source of history and heritage. Real management and control was needed to preserve it and prevent pollution.
VIKTOR DANILOV-DANILYAN, Chairman of the State Committee for Environmental Protection of the Russian Federation, said he was troubled by the apparent passivity of the discussion at hand. Today, events were occurring that would have tremendous impact on the environment, yet only China, Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia had referred to the issue. Some of the serious ecological consequences of the bombing were referred to in the complete text of his speech, which he would only summarize now in the interest of brevity.
A representative of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had told the press that chemical plants had been bombed, but the substances released had quickly evaporated, he said. How could the Commission be silent? he added. According to ecologists, the weeks of bombing had already resulted in the contamination of water, soil and air. The territories of neighbouring countries too had been contaminated.
The nuclear component required particular attention, he warned. If nuclear facilities were destroyed or stopped through bombing or acts of terrorism, an ecological catastrophe was possible, with dire consequences for neighbouring European States. The matter was urgent: accidental hits could not be prevented, as indicated by the inadvertent striking of civilian sites. War was totally incompatible with sustainable development. All possible steps must be taken to prevent any threat of ecological disaster in the European continent. Under United Nations auspices, an independent environmental assessment should be undertaken to define ways to overcome the environmental disaster. His country was prepared to make available its best experts. He called on all concerned with sustainable development to work for a peaceful end to the tragedy in Kosovo.
MICHAEL WOODS, Minister for Marine and Natural Resources of Ireland, said his country recognized the importance of effective coordination of oceans issues at national, regional and global levels. In 1987, the Irish Government had created a new Department of the Marine, giving it overall responsibility
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for marine issues and combining functions previously carried out by different departments. A Marine Institute had been established in 1991 to coordinate research and support sustainable development of Ireland's marine resources. Similar coordinated action at an international level was an essential part of any protection strategy.
Ireland participated in several regional organizations concerned with the marine environment, and was an active participant in the work of the relevant United Nations agencies, he said. The work of those agencies had considerable impact on Ireland's national marine policies; however, current arrangements for coordination at the global level were not satisfactory. It was commonly recognized that current overview mechanisms were inadequate, and there was a consensus that the General Assembly was the appropriate body to provide coordination. However, the General Assembly debate needed to be better prepared.
Equally, Agenda 21 and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provided the framework for action and should not be undermined, he said. There was understandable caution about creating new institutions and incurring additional costs. Coordination should rather be strengthened within existing frameworks and resource levels. What was needed was institutional renewal, not new institutions. That was not an issue on which the Commission should make progress, but an issue on which it must make progress. A short window of opportunity to do that existed -- that opportunity must be taken.
DOMINQUE VOYNET, Minister for Territorial Management and the Environment of France, said that, on the global level, oceans were monitored by the numerous bodies of the United Nations without adequate coordination. The Subcommittee on Seas and Oceans of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC) was mainly of use for information exchange, rather than for decision-making. The decisions emanating from the Commission's current session should be based on the principles of Agenda 21. Agreed-upon instruments must be implemented through concrete measures. She noted that a number of legal instruments regarding fishing already existed. New instruments should not be created; instead, the existing ones must be implemented.
She called for increasing efforts to improve the traceability of products. Governments must participate in ensuring that consumers were reliably informed. Coral reefs, which reflected the condition of the overall marine environment, were now severely threatened. The 1990 International Coral Reef Initiative had served to alert the public to the situation. France intended to work towards mobilizing donors and civil society on the matter. Policies on oceans and seas should take into account the need to control population and the struggle against poverty on the national and international levels. People must be made more aware of environmental questions.
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She then proposed setting up a working group under the General Assembly. It would not be a new structure as such, but rather a forum for debate, comprising States and other stakeholders. Its task would be to make recommendations to the General Assembly on coordination and follow-up of ocean-related issues. The mechanism itself could be reviewed in 2002, at the "Rio+10" gathering. In responding to the problems and making full use of existing frameworks, she supported the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other United Nations bodies.
Mr. ALPHONSE, Minister for the Environment of Madagascar, on behalf of countries sharing French as a language, said his delegation supported all policies related to environmentally sound management and aimed at safeguarding marine heritage in order to ensure the sustainability of resources for economic and social development. He also encouraged countries to pass national legislation on the oceans and to include therein such principles as sustainable development, integrated management and a cautions approach to activities affecting the oceans and seas. His delegation supported the establishment of marine-protected areas, both at the national and regional levels, and encouraged the elaboration of programmes against coastal erosion.
He added that countries should be encouraged to support, adopt and ratify existing international instruments of fisheries. Countries should support strengthened capabilities for the development of marine sciences. Coastal countries had the power to put into practice national anti-pollution norms and measures within their seas and in accordance with the law of the sea. The oceans and seas constituted a shared natural heritage, and the international community must continue contributing to their well-being over the course of the new millennium.
FELIPE M. MEDALLA, Secretary of Socio-Economic Planning of the Philippines, said that, in view of differences in the economic status of countries, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities should remain one of the fundamental bases for global action. For oceans and seas, of particular concern was overfishing of the world's oceans -- a phenomenon particularly due to heavy subsidies, fiscal incentives, fuel-tax exemptions, low interest loans and outright grants for gear or infrastructure, given by developed countries to their fishing fleets. Reduction, if not outright removal of those subsidies, was necessary to directly address that concern.
Efforts to increasingly employ cleaner production technologies remained crucial if improvements in the state of the world's oceans and seas were to be realized, he said. Developed countries were, therefore, called on to take the lead in that regard, since their production and consumption patterns had the greatest impact on global sustainability, particularly in addressing global climate concerns. Imposition of environmental standards should not, in any way, be used as disguised trade barriers against the developing countries. Instead, developed countries should provide necessary assistance to ensure
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that capacities of developing countries to comply with environmental standards were enhanced accordingly.
Further, sustainable development had taught countries to build on existing initiatives and to tap existing mechanisms, he added. In that regard, the Philippines wished to reiterate that the establishment of new organizational arrangements should be discouraged. Instead, existing mechanisms should be evaluated to determine the extent of their effectiveness in implementing commitments to sustainable development.
ALFONSO VALDIVIESO (Colombia) said his country had faced the challenges which the management of its seas and coastal areas had imposed through the development of the following activities: integrated management of coastal and marine areas; protection and conservation of biodiversity from pollution by land-based activities; the ocean climate relation; the development of environmental indicators; and an education programme for public awareness and diffusion of information. Although results had been obtained in many of those areas, much still had to be done if sustainable development was to be achieved. Colombia shared the objectives expressed in the document containing the final elements for the decision that would be adopted by the Commission on Sustainable Development.
However, his delegation emphasized the importance of highlighting that conservation of living marine resources involved critical, social and economic components that must be addressed in the decision. In addition, he stressed that an integrated and multi-sectoral scope on the issue of ocean and coastal- zone management should "better guide us" in the quest for poverty-alleviation and eradication. The enhancement of capacity-building must also be promoted through effective international cooperation. It was, therefore, necessary to support the UNEP regional programmes on seas.
Within that decision, he continued, any review of the status of implementation of international agreements and programmes should take into consideration international cooperation, the transfer of technology, and the mobilization of new and additional resources, including the funds for the Global Programme of Action. Colombia also believed that it was important to avoid creating new bureaucratic mechanisms that bore financial implications. The General Assembly must be the competent organ responsible for the evaluation of all issues related to the oceans and the seas, and any new methodology that would enhance and improve its dialogue on those issues must be welcomed.
MUHAMMAD ZUBAIR KIDWAI, leader of the delegation of Pakistan to the Commission, said the maritime zone of Pakistan was a vast area of high economic potential requiring carefully planned investment programmes. The Arabian Sea had great bearing on the coastal processes and environment of the area. Threats to the world's oceans were approaching crisis proportions, with
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critical issues like overfishing and habitat degradation from land-based sources posing a real threat. The world must watch out for marine pollution, effluent, ocean dumping and pollution from ships.
Pakistan's maritime zone was one of the most productive in the world, he said. Efforts were under way to determine sustainable fish yields and to translate them into strategies, plans and programmes. Policies and measures for protection were promoted, such as the enforcement of National Quality Standards. His country used the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Guidelines and Codes of Conduct for fishing stocks, and was actively considering ratifying those treaties relating to marine resources that had not been ratified. Pakistan's National Conservation Strategy had built in the concept of sustainability and recommended practicable methods for enhancing productive capabilities of renewable resources. It had also taken a number of other steps, including the establishment of a Marine Pollution Board and the preparation of a Coastal Environmental Management Plan.
The inescapable reality of the need to take concrete steps for conservation of marine ecosystems was recognized by Pakistan, he said. International commitment and joint endeavours would give new impetus to attempts to realize global objectives in this area.
ISLAHUDIN BABA (Malaysia) said that, since 1992, his country had set up an Inter-Agency Planning Group to prepare a detailed study of the various aspects of the overall problem of coastal resources management, and to prepare inputs for formulating the national coastal-zone policy. That policy was aimed at providing a comprehensive framework for effective coastal management through major thrusts, strategies and relevant guidelines.
An important concern for Malaysia was marine pollution and navigational safety, particularly in the Straits of Malacca, one of the busiest international sea lanes, he said. It was a zone of high biodiversity and was rich in marine life. Malaysia was concerned by oil that was discharged during routine passage of ships and by pollution from shipping accidents, particularly oil tankers. Besides the economic implications, the resulting pollution had serious environmental implications for the sensitive ecosystem and other users of the Straits. Thus, there was a need for an innovative approach to navigational safety and marine pollution prevention and control in the Straits.
There was still a need for international cooperation in solving the multidimensional problems affecting the oceans and seas, he continued. While the call for greater coordination in implementing the various programmes related to oceans and seas was welcome, he believed such a call would have to be preceded by good groundwork by United Nations agencies at all levels.
GUDMUNDUR BJARNASON, Minister for the Environment of Iceland, said the discussion on fisheries management had been too negative. Fish stocks could
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be managed sustainably, as the Icelandic delegation would illustrate in a national presentation next Monday. Iceland would share with the delegates its experience from sustainable fisheries management, including the scientific foundation of its approach. That presentation would also give an industry perspective on the environmental challenges facing the fishing industry.
He said that principles, rules or guidelines for the protection of the oceans and sustainable utilization of their resources were not lacking. What was needed was implementation. Knowledge about the state of fish stocks was unreliable and, therefore, not a sufficient foundation for the rational use of those stocks. In other areas, there was a good scientific foundation for such utilization. Regretfully, information on the status of fish stocks was sometimes misleading. That undermined the efforts of nations that relied on harvesting of the oceans as a means to achieve sustainable development. Reliable assessment of fish stocks would best be attained through an increased national effort and strengthened regional cooperation. Experience had shown that scientific peer-reviews at the regional level improved scientific quality of stock assessments, strengthened catch surveillance, enhanced transparency, improved accountability, and thereby supported sustainable fisheries.
The sovereign right of nations to utilize their natural resources needed to be recognized, he said. At the same time, it was necessary to create global market conditions conducive to sustainable fisheries. At the ad hoc working group meetings, Iceland had called for the removal of fisheries subsidies and other trade-distorting measures. That plea had been repeated at the Geneva high-level session of the World Trade Organization on trade and environment. Iceland had supported the leading role of the FAO to develop voluntary guidelines for eco-labelling of fish and fish products. The FAO's involvement in that work was necessary to ensure sufficient international recognition of such guidelines. To avoid trade discrimination, such guidelines must be scientifically based, easy to verify and transparently applied.
BERNARDO FERRAZ, Minister for Coordination of Environmental Affairs of Mozambique, said his country had marine and coastal ecosystems that were among the richest in the world. The majority of its cities were on the coast, as were its major economic activities. The balance of marine and coastal ecosystems was threatened by uncontrolled economic activities, pollution from both land and sea and coastal erosion. A Coastal Zone Management Policy and Programme, within the National Environmental Management Programme, had been adopted, and coastal development plans aimed at enhancing local communities' skills in environmentally sound management had been started.
His Government was also reviewing all national legislation to harmonize it with the aim of protecting ecosystems, he said. It was also undergoing negotiations with its partners in development and with neighbouring countries to consolidate agendas for protection of the shared coastal environment and to seek resources to implement those agendas. In 1998, Mozambique had invited
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African States to work out an integrated vision and strategy for managing all Africa's marine and coastal environment. It had hosted the Pan African Conference on Sustainable Integrated Coastal Management, a process towards establishment of a coordination mechanism for integrated African coastal and marine management.
A follow-up conference had been held in South Africa late last year to promote implementation of regional programmes, conventions and spheres of action, he said. A third step -- a partnership conference to be held in 2001 -- would bring together African countries and their development cooperation partners, donors and financial institutions to consider funding mechanisms for priorities identified at the earlier events. Mozambique was grateful to countries, organizations and people that had helped it address the big problems of the African continent, and it was grateful to African governments for cooperating to create a consensus on marine environment management.
DAVID ANDERSON, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans of Canada, said his country had also experienced overfishing, wasteful and destructive fishing practices, as well as pollution and habitat degradation. Those practices had all contributed to the unsustainable development of oceans and ocean resources within and without Canada's exclusive economic zone and territorial seas. Nevertheless, his country was changing things, and for the better. That change was reflected in work on oceans and seas, including drastic measures taken to eliminate overfishing. He cited work in the areas of tourism, consumption and production patterns, and in Canada's long-standing support for sustainable economic activity in developing countries, including small island developing States, as examples of Canada's efforts.
Canada recognized that conservation and sustainable development of ocean resources required a comprehensive, coordinated and integrated approach, he said. It had responded to that reality with the 1997 Ocean Act. That Act called for leadership in integrating and coordinating oceans activities: from developing and implementing oceans management strategy to establishing a national network of marine protected areas; and from developing marine environmental quality standards, criteria and guidelines, to achieving integrated management of all activities that took place or affected the oceans. National action alone, however, would not suffice.
Global and regional action was also required to prevent the destruction of oceans and their resources, he continued. Individual international bodies were already addressing that requirement in substantial ways, but more was needed and time was short. The ratification of the United Nations Fish Agreement was a top priority, and Canada expected to have ratified it in the next three months. He urged all nations and members of the Commission to do the same by the year 2000. The integrity of ocean ecosystems was at risk. The way to address such a threat was through better international coordination and cooperation in areas such as science, habitat protection and overall
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oceans management. The debate was not whether better oceanic coordination and cooperation was needed -- that was known. The debate was now about how it could be achieved.
PETER D. DONIGI (Papua New Guinea) said that the working draft on oceans raised two critical issues. First was the issue of coordination. The Commission had heard overwhelmingly that sufficient attention had not been given to the resolution of particular problems in the integrated way envisaged under Agenda 21. Many of those areas had been identified in the Secretary-General's report to the current session. An open-ended working group would provide an opportunity for in-depth discussion and to make substantive recommendations on how the problems could be better resolved at all levels. However, the working group might not necessarily debate the technical aspects that were already being dealt with by specialized agencies and other competent organizations.
The second matter concerned participation by all stakeholders, he said. Papua New Guinea endorsed the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) statement that participation in the working group "should be all- inclusive". A number of delegations had expressed the idea of organizing panel discussions where non-governmental representations could be heard. Papua New Guinea agreed with that process of finding a suitable platform for major groups. It had certainly worked in the context of the Commission on Sustainable Development.
A critical issue, he said, was that the efforts of small island developing States needed to be supplemented by effective technical and additional financial support from the international community, including the Global Environment Facility. There must be more focused action on capacity- building and transfer of environmentally sound technology in the specific area of oceans and coastal zone management. There must also be a coordinated approach in policy development for a sound basis for development, management, protection and preservation of marine resources and environment. As had been agreed in Barbados, small island developing States had the right to regulate and/or ban the importation of products containing non-biodegradable and/or hazardous substances and to prohibit the transboundary movement of hazardous and radioactive wastes and materials within their jurisdiction, consistent with international laws.
JULIA CARABIA LILLO, Secretary of the Environment, Natural Resources and Fishing of Mexico, said the oceans and seas had, for centuries, been seen as an endless source of biological diversity. That abundance, however, was being depleted by human activity -- on land and at sea -- that was detrimental to the sea's living resources. Political will was important in addressing those problems, but it was also important to realize that human pressures on the ecosystem were at the heart of environmental problems. There was a need for concerted action on the international level to address those pressures. The
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main challenge was to implement existing machineries for the protection of the environment.
Creating a code of conduct for fisheries should also be a priority, she said. Sustainability goals should be met without creating new forums and bogging down United Nations agencies. There was a need for an international consensus on marine protection to implement international agreements. An open-ended working group should be created to consider recommendations made by the Secretary-General in his report on oceans and seas. Such a working group should take into account the input of the Commission and provide for broad participation and avoid overlap with other United Nations efforts.
Interactive Dialogue on Oceans and Seas
The Commission then resumed its interactive dialogue on oceans and seas, with a view to refining the possible elements for its draft decision. The possible elements had been proposed by its Inter-Sessional Ad Hoc Working Group on Oceans and Seas and on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States.
First, the Commission took up the subject of proposed language on sustainable fisheries.
The representative of Canada said that by-catch [the incidental catch of sea birds and non-targeted species] could be reduced significantly. In his country, when the fishing industry had been faced with the prospect of a complete prohibition on salmon, it had proven quite innovative, finding ways to sort target species and non-target species.
A representative of the European Commission said the basis for a global framework to achieve sustainability existed; the problem related to implementation. The final text should emphasize that regional fisheries organizations must be the cornerstone for effective management. Governments must implement the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Straddling Stocks Agreement and the compliance agreement, and they must apply the FAO's 1995 code of conduct for responsible fisheries. The Commission must also stress that States should assess the impact of subsidies. Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing must be addressed at the FAO level. Regarding flag State rules, the Commission should press the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to develop a mandatory instrument on the law of the sea, so that there was a real relationship between ship and flag.
The representative of Greece said his country recognized that the sustainable development of marine resources required protection of seas and oceans. His country favoured international cooperation for protecting oceans and seas, taking into account Agenda 21 and the Law of the Sea Convention. It also actively supported the Mediterranean Action Plan. Coastal zones were of
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concern worldwide, for ecological, economic and social reasons. Yet, such areas were often subject to intensive pressures for development. Coastal zones must be managed rationally. Characterized by extensive coasts and islands, Greece was actively engaged in managing its coastal zones in an integrated manner.
The representative of the United States stressed the need for implementing the Convention on the Law of the Sea, the FAO compliance agreement and the code of conduct for responsible fishing. Neither the Straddling Stocks Convention nor the FAO agreement were in force, and the Commission must urge States to move rapidly in that direction.
The representative of Sweden said the world knew what measures were required to ensure the sustainable use of precious marine resources. The necessary frameworks already existed, but action was too slow. Regional fisheries organizations must be strengthened as the cornerstones of the new international system. Also, the global monitoring of fish stocks should be improved.
Brazil's representative said it was important for the Commission to remain focused when it developed decisons. There was a need to have a clear sense of who would be responsible for implementing such decisions and where funding would come from. It was clear who the real polluters were, and uniform decisions that treated everyone on the same level did not seem appropriate.
The Commission then turned to the topic of by-catch.
SIMON UPTON (New Zealand), Commission Chairman, said by-catch of fish represented 25 per cent of all fish caught. That was probably the highest control failure rate of any industry in the world.
The FAO said the number of fish discarded had decreased from 27 million to 20 million over the last few years. That was probably due to an over- estimation and to a real decrease in discards by some of the major fisheries.
A World Wildlife Fund representative said she was concerned about the issue of fishery subsidies. There was a lack of knowledge about where those subsidies went. The Commission should call for full cooperation in fact- finding efforts in that regard.
The representative of Finland said there had not been enough research done on methods and equipment for reducing by-catch. Simple actions such as adjusting nets and changing their shape could reduce by-catch considerably. Everybody was too busy catching fish and trying to meet quotas, but that area needed attention and action should be taken.
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The representative of Norway also supported mentioning the problem of discards in the Commission's recommendations
On the topic of subsistence fisheries, Indonesia's representative said a main problem was that too many ships were chasing too few fish. Coastal areas had a limited capacity to utilize marine resources, and they often could not meet their basic needs when large fishing companies depleted fish stock. Efforts should be taken to improve the capabilities of local subsistence fishermen.
Agreeing with that statement, the representative of Madagascar said the illicit incursion of fishing fleets into local waters was also a problem. That often led to the disappearance of local fish stock and damaged small fishing enterprises.
The representative of Norway said work had been done in his region to cope with illegal fishing or fishing by ships under flags of convenience. Regional agreements prevented the landing of ships with such flags, which increased the costs for those shipping companies and made it more difficult to fish in the area.
A representative of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions said the problem of pollution was not confined to fisheries. Merchant marine operations were also responsible for damaging the environment. He added that the FAO and the IMO had taken a number of efforts in that regard, and their work should be reflected in the report of the Commission.
Echoing that comment, a representative of the FAO said his organization had completed a number of initiatives on illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. In the spirit of cooperation, the Commission should at least note and support those efforts.
A speaker for Barbados said the Caribbean sea was a source of many dangerous practices which had threatened coral reefs and coastal areas. Oil spills were a problem and, in some cases, such spills were caused by careless or illegal behaviour. Also of concern was the transport of nuclear waste across the sea. If a spill occurred, such material would not only hurt marine life, but human life as well.
Iceland's representative said government subsidies were a primary cause of fishing over capacity. Abolition of government subsidies and other trade distortions would provide a win-win solution for trade and environmental concerns. Paragraph 13b was useful and should be part of the outcome of the session.
The representative of the United States said the obstacles of sustainable fisheries posed by by-catch and destructive fishing practices --
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such as dynamiting, which affected coral reefs -- illegal and unregulated fishing, and subsidies were priorities.
The Commission's dialogue then moved to the issue of international coordination and cooperation.
The CHAIRMAN said there seemed to be agreement that the Convention on the Law of the Sea was the overriding framework for ocean-related actions, that the Assembly's current debates were limited, that new institutions and associated additional bureaucracy should not be created and that existing instruments should be better utilized and implemented. The issues now were how to broaden and deepen the Assembly's discussion on oceans, which cut across agencies and legal instruments, and deepen its examination of issues requiring priority attention.
Egypt's representative said the draft language in paragraph 32a-32d, on improving coordination, asked the Secretary-General to complement his annual report by suggesting initiatives that could be undertaken to improve coordination and better integration, among other measures. The language should call on the Assembly, in light of the results of the requested actions in sub-paragraphs b and c, to decide ways and means of enhancing the effectiveness of its general debate.
Japan's views on excessive fishing and subsidies were different from other views expressed, that country's representative said. It was wrong to presume that subsidies aggravated overfishing. In his country, subsidies played an important role in realizing socio-economic goals and they reduced excessive fishing capacity. His Government used subsidies to reduce the number of fishing vessels. The FAO should examine subsidies to identify which factors contributed to fishing beyond capacity. Regarding marine resources, no global representative system existed or was being developed. Designation of protected areas must be done according to the Law of the Sea Convention.
Argentina's representative said the Commission should focus on coordination within the United Nations. Oceans and seas made up an enormous segment of international law. Coordination should start with a meeting of the States parties to the Law of the Sea Convention. Creating new bodies would not be the best way to solve the question. She supported the proposal of the Rio Group on convening a special meeting to deal with problems related to coordination. There was a gap which needed to be bridged if channels of communication were to be established between the United Nations bodies. There was both a gap, and an overlap.
The representative of Portugal said the main objectives regarding coordination were to review existing institutional arrangements dealing with the oceans and its uses within the framework of the Law of the Sea Convention and Agenda 21. Concrete measures for integrated management should be
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identified. Portugal did not support the creation of new institutions. It would support establishing an ad hoc committee of the whole, guaranteeing that there would be means to ensure the participation of non-governmental organizations and other organizations.
Brazil's representative said the Commission was not discussing a new question. The institutions and mechanisms existed, now they must be implemented. His country did not want new institutions or burdened mechanisms. There was need to clearly identify what were the gaps and overlaps. A study should be requested, containing views of governments and agencies, on what were the real problems of coordination.
The representative of Indonesia said new mechanisms should not be formed. Ways and means to strengthen discussion in the General Assembly should be explored, including increasing the transparency of the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC). The Assembly's discussions, by being better focused, could better assist the existing mechanisms for the Convention on the Law of the Sea. He said his country would host an international symposium on coral reefs in 2000.
The representative of Papua New Guinea said that the report on fisheries dealt mainly with licensing and control of fisheries, but not with improving developing countries' ability to fish within their zones. Something should be mentioned about increasing ownership and management of commercial fishing industry. The report also dealt with living marine resources, but not the exploitation of non-living marine resources. His delegation was prepared to assist in drafting paragraphs on those two issues. On coordination, he said the Chairman should take into account the concerns of the countries of the South Pacific. There must be a working group different from that being suggested in the report.
HANS CORELL, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, told delegations to consider coordination at the national level. It was a problem to coordinate ministries to speak with one national voice. If it was difficult to coordinate within the United Nations system, the task was even more difficult without a decided opinion on the national level.
The Assembly had decided that it was the focal point regarding the Law of the Sea and related matters, he said. Its debate was essential, but it lacked focus. In part, that was because the report it was discussing covered such a broad variety of issues that it was difficult to have a cohesive debate. The question was how to assist the Assembly in focusing on a particular issue every year, how to have a more focused debate, and how to develop resolutions that answered concerns raised.
The report on the Law of the Sea was prepared after contributions from all system bodies were invited and then reduced, he said. Elaborating the
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report was a laborious task, and it took weeks. He had noted concern about the timing of the report, and he had drawn the matter to the attention of the Secretary-General. However, it should be recalled that the report took roughly four weeks for General Assembly servicing to prepare.
Regarding the timing of when ocean issues should be discussed, he said he saw that some wanted it to be taken up during the General Assembly, while others wanted it to be discussed at an earlier stage. If the report on the Law of the Sea was to be ready by the summer, its substance would be almost a year old. If the Commission decided that the Assembly should focus on a specific issue every year, it could consider having two reports. One would be a general report on the Law of the Sea, to be presented in the autumn, and the other could be available in spring, with in-depth exploration of an issue, such as coral reefs, thus facilitating rich discussion on the subject in the autumn.
The United States' representative said the Commission's recommendation regarding the coordination of ocean protection mechanisms would be deferred, via the Economic and Social Council, to the General Assembly for action. The Commission should be as specific as possible as to what it wanted the General Assembly to address and adopt.
In that regard, the representative of Turkey said the Commission should clearly define global policy and efforts that should be undertaken for the protection of oceans and seas.
The representative of South Africa said that the coordination of ocean protection efforts did not mean the creation of an additional mechanism, but rather a new mechanism to integrate existing ones. The fragmentation of the existing mechanisms lead to confusion, and poor countries often could not utilize them.
A representative of the Russian Federation asked UNEP what actions it had taken in regard to the environmental consequences of the war in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. He also asked if UNEP believed it was necessary to create a team study to evaluate the risks of the large scale environmental damage from fighting.
The representative of UNEP said a situation such as the one in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia naturally and unavoidably lead to ecological imbalance. That imbalance was caused also by the massive displacement of people in the region. UNEP had been involved in preliminary measures to consider data in order to examine the environmental situation in the region.
In a concluding comment, the CHAIRMAN said the Commission could have spent its entire session on the issue of oceans and seas. On the topic of coordination, he said the ministers should help him find an effective way to
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formulate their comments into a decision that could be brought to the General Assembly.
The representative of Cameroon said he wanted bring the attention of the Commission to the ecological catastrophe caused by the eruption of Mount Cameroon. The mountain was just 600 meters from the coast and the consequences of lava drifting into the sea could be grave. He added that developing countries lacked the resources for addressing that and many other environmental problems. International assistance was necessary in that regard.
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