UN must protect deep sea life and secure fisheries
10 Oct 2006
WWF urges the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York this week to take a key step to protect all deep sea ecosystems from destructive fishing practices, such as unmanaged high seas bottom trawling.
The 192-member UNGA is due to debate an Australian-led plan to prohibit deep sea bottom trawling in unmanaged areas of the high seas and impose tougher regulations of other destructive fishing practices. About 64 per cent of the world's ocean is in international waters, and bottom trawling is unmanaged in about three-quarters of this area.
WWF applauds Palau and Australia's continuing efforts to push for deep sea protection, and urges other states to join Australia in seeking the consensus necessary to effectively suspend unmanaged bottom trawling on the high seas. WWF welcomes the recent decision of the US to become a strong advocate of the need to protect sensitive ecosystems from destructive fishing practices.
However, WWF remains concerned that some countries appear reluctant to join this emerging consensus. In particular, the European Union proposal falls short of suggesting practically achievable measures to curb destructive fishing practices, and places European fisheries management well behind the forerunners in the field.
The weak EU proposal only calls for a prohibition on areas known to be sensitive, thus going against the EU's own commitments to a sensible precautionary approach, and leaving the vast majority of sensitive areas - for which there is not yet information - open to destruction.
WWF supports moves to regulate all destructive fishing practices in all high seas areas to prevent significant harm to sensitive species, habitats and ecosystems and would support interim prohibitions until adequate management controls are in place
WWF therefore calls for an interim moratorium on bottom trawling in all areas not covered by Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMO). This prohibition would only be lifted in areas where an adequate management structure is shown to be in place, as consistent with the precautionary principle.
WWF argues that all RFMOs - the main mechanism developed by States to regulate fishing on the high seas - should be reformed so that their mandate covers a more holistic ecosystem-based management approach and gives them the full power to manage fish stocks effectively.
This week's negotiations will determine the oceans and fisheries resolution adopted by the UNGA in November. Too many areas have already been decimated and if the international community does not act now to protect what is left, it will soon be too late.
Find out more
Sarah Bladen, Communications Manager, WWF Global Marine Programme
Phone: +41 22 364 9019
Email: sbladen@wwwfint.org
