Review Conference on Saving World’s Fish Stocks Concludes with Adoption of Robust Draft Outcome
NEW YORK, 2 June (Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea) — At the end of five days of intense discussions and negotiations, the Review Conference for the landmark 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, on Friday, 27 May, adopted a robust set of recommendations aimed at improving the conservation and management of some of the world’s most commercially important fish stocks, through the improved implementation of the Agreement.
The outcome document adopted by the Conference consolidated and strengthened recommendations adopted in 2006 and 2010 and addressed, in some cases, new issues relevant to strengthening the substance and methods of implementation of the Agreement, such as labour conditions and avoidance of the transfer of a disproportionate burden of conservation action to developing States.
While the Conference welcomed the significant progress that had been made in the implementation of several of the recommendations of the Review Conference in 2006 and 2010, it expressed concern at the lack of progress in other areas. It also expressed concern that the overall status of highly migratory fish stocks and straddling fish stocks had not improved since 2006 and 2010.
The report of the Secretary-General to the Conference pointed out that 84 per cent of straddling fish stocks and 86 per cent of tuna and tuna-like species stocks were either overexploited or fully exploited. In addition, the considerable limitations in fisheries and biological data continue to be one of the main impediments to assessing the state of exploitation of highly migratory species, straddling stocks and other high seas fish stocks.
The Review Conference reaffirmed the commitment to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, as reflected in Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and noted in particular the interrelation between achieving some of the targets contained therein and the effective implementation of the Agreement and the recommendations of the Review Conference. In that regard, it was noted that the full and effective implementation of the Agreement could contribute substantially to the achievement of the commitments undertaken in the 2030 Agenda.
The Conference agreed on a number of recommendations addressed to States and regional fisheries management organizations or arrangements, which addressed the following five issues: conservation and management of stocks; mechanisms for international cooperation and non-members; monitoring, control and surveillance and compliance and enforcement; developing States; and non-parties.
Some of the themes addressed by the recommendations include: the application of the precautionary and ecosystems approaches; conservation and management of sharks and deep sea fish stocks; environmental factors affecting marine ecosystems, including adverse impacts of climate change and ocean acidification; lost, abandoned or otherwise discarded fishing gear, including marine debris; strengthening science-policy interface; rebuilding and recovery strategies; by-catch management and discards; strengthening mandates and measures in regional fisheries management organizations or arrangements; and performance reviews and best practice guidelines for these organizations or arrangements.
Other themes included in the recommendations were: strengthening of flag State responsibility; assessment of flag State performance; fishing vessels without nationality; port State measures; strengthening compliance; cooperation and enforcement schemes; regulation of trans-shipment; supply and refuelling vessels; market-related measures; development of fisheries by developing States; strengthening of capacity-building mechanisms and programmes, including the Assistance Fund established under the Agreement; avoiding the transferring of a disproportionate burden of conservation action onto developing States; and the promotion of wider participation in the Agreement.
The Conference decided to continue the Informal Consultations of States Parties to the Agreement and keep the Agreement under review through the resumption of the Review Conference at a date not earlier than 2020, to be agreed at a future round of Informal Consultations. It recommended that the Informal Consultations of States Parties be dedicated to the consideration of specific issues arising from the implementation of the Agreement on an annual basis, with a view to improving understanding, sharing experiences and identifying best practices for the consideration of States Parties, as well as the General Assembly and the Review Conference.
In finalizing the draft outcome of the Conference, the President of the Conference, Fábio Hazin (Brazil) noted that the Conference had developed “a beautiful, updated, beefed-up, strengthened outcome document that we are all very proud to present to the whole world”.
Background
Considered to be the most important legally binding global instrument for the conservation and management of fishery resources since the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 1982, the Agreement establishes a comprehensive legal regime for the conservation and sustainable use of straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. It includes provisions relating to modern approaches to fisheries management, such as the precautionary and ecosystem approaches, strengthening the responsibilities of flag States, compliance and enforcement, as well as the role of regional fisheries management organizations and arrangements.