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Backgrounder
Conference on
The Governance of High Seas Fisheries and the United Nations Fish Agreement
– Moving from Words to Action
Fisheries around the world are being harvested at exploitation levels beyond the rate at which fish stocks can replenish. Put simply, many global fish stocks are being overfished. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 52 per cent of the world marine fishery resources are fully exploited and another 24 per cent are overexploited.
Clearly, this problem requires urgent attention and action on a global basis. From May 1-5, 2005, Canada will host an intergovernmental Conference on the Governance of High Seas Fisheries and the United Nations Fish Agreement in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The theme of the conference is Moving from Words to Action; a reflection of Canada’s vision that the conference will launch an international process that leads to strengthened international fisheries governance and updated high seas fisheries management in regional fisheries management organizations.
The purpose of the St. John's Conference is to bring countries together to:
- discuss the existing international framework for governing high seas fisheries with emphasis on the United Nations Fish Agreement (UNFA) of 1995;
- identify impediments to implementing existing commitments and tools;
- identify gaps in the existing regime; and
- agree to specific actions for addressing these impediments and gaps.
The conference will open with a one-day round table of invited Ministers to inform and provide guidance to conference delegates in its deliberations. To this end, Canada's Minister of Fisheries and Oceans will deliver a summary of the Ministerial Declaration to conference delegates during an open session on the same afternoon.
The ministerial round table will be followed by one-and-a-half days of workshops focused on five key international fisheries governance themes:
- Ecosystems-Based Considerations in Fisheries Management;
- Compliance and Enforcement;
- Decision-Making Processes of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations;
- Balancing Fishing Capacity and Fishing Aspirations; and
- Addressing New Areas and Gaps.
The workshops will be organized into small groups of delegates who are expected to identify actions that can be taken within their subject area.
Up to 18 invited Ministers, government officials from 48 countries, and representatives from six international non-governmental organizations and three Canadian universities will participate in the St. John's Conference. It is envisioned that the conference will outline specific actions and commitments identified for implementation by participating nations.
