The culmination of a maraton 40-hour session at the UN headquarters in New York, resulting in UN member states reaching agreement on the landmark international Treaty on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Marine Biological Diversity of areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), has been welcomed by European fishing industry body Europêche.
‘This is exactly what we have been advocating and I think it makes perfect sense,’ said Europêche President Javier Garat.
‘Fishing is the most regulated activity on the high seas and gives a good example of how marine ecosystems can be well-managed and protected. If we have sound data about marine ecosystems in the high seas, it is mainly due to the data reported by our fishers. No other marine activity operates under a framework as transparent and effective as we do.’
He commented that the BBNJ Treaty will play a fundamental role in protecting and sustainably use marine areas not sufficiently regulated while respecting and building on the success of fisheries management, and that Europêche appreciates that administrative competences were clarified regarding Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs).
In particular, the text specifies their mandate for ensuring conservation and sustainable use in area-based management tools and the scope of environmental impact assessments that will be strengthened in the implementation process.
‘In this context, the sector values the recognition of the great work that the RFMOs1 have been doing for decades in terms of fisheries management and environmental protection. For which reason, the provisions of the BBNJ agreement cannot undermine their scope, mandate and competences. Likewise, the provisions on marine genetic resources will not apply to fishing regulated under relevant international law,’ Europêche states.
Javier Garat added that Europêche’s position is that the effective and successful regulation of fisheries on the high seas should serve as an example of collaboration on governance in the BBNJ implementation process.
‘We do not mean by this that fisheries governance is perfect, but rather that the data and rules that already exist for the management and protection of marine ecosystems under fisheries governance can be used to better regulate other activities and protect vulnerable areas. Equally, we need the governments to continue strengthening the work of RFMOs to optimise their performance,’ he said.
‘Our sector will be there to help develop science-based solutions. We ask the international community, relevant stakeholders, and environmental NGOs to focus on the challenges identified by the Treaty, namely unregulated marine activities and unregulated marine areas. Wasting energy and effort in reinterpreting or distorting the BBNJ agreement to try to overrule a robust fisheries management regime, developed over decades by RFMOs, would only serve as a deterrent and an excuse for its non-ratification.’
