Conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks

Statement made by: International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF).

Made at: The Ninth Round of Informal Consultations of States Parties to 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. 16-17 March 2010. United Nations, New York

 

The objective of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement is to ensure not only the long-term conservation of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks but also their sustainable use.

An estimated two million small-scale and artisanal fishers worldwide, mainly from developing countries, including small island developing States, are fully or partially dependent on straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks for their life and livelihood, employing selective, environmentally safe, energy-saving, and cost-effective fishing gear and techniques. Access to these stocks is important for their poverty alleviation and food security. Considering these factors it is surprising that there is hardly any substantive reference made to small-scale and artisanal fisheries in the document A/Conf.210/2010/1.

The distinguished delegations did not express interest in opening up agenda item 6 (b) for discussion during yesterday’s deliberations, but we would nevertheless request the following issues to be considered under this agenda item for discussion at the resumed Review Conference to assess the effectiveness of this Agreement and to strengthen is substance:

1. Firstly, it should be looked into if the needs of coastal fishing communities are protected and if the interests of artisanal and subsistence fishers are taken into account under conservation and management measures for these fish stocks;
2. Secondly, it should be examined if effects detrimental to coastal fishing communities are demonstrably avoided under conservation and management measures adopted for these stocks;
3. Thirdly, it should be examined if access to fisheries by subsistence, small-scale and artisanal fishers and women fishworkers, as well as indigenous people is ensured while establishing conservation and management measures for these stocks;
4. Fourthly, it should be looked into if conservation and management measures for these fish stocks are, inter alia, consistent with the rules and principles of international law dealing with human rights, especially with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and
5. Finally, Mr. Chairman, should the conservation and management measures for straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks be seen not to be fully consistent with the UN human rights instruments, the Review Conference should consider proposing measures to comprehend underlying factors behind such lack of consistency, and to effectively address the anomalies in consultation with agencies such as the FAO.

 

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