NOAA has announced bilateral fishery management cooperation with China in the third U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) meeting. A significant outcome of the S&ED relates to their cooperation on observing greenhouse gases and a renewed dialogue on bilateral fisheries and ocean management.
According to the news release of NOAA in this meeting both the countries agreed to establish regular bilateral fisheries consultations that will focus on conserving and managing marine living resources, expanding current efforts in high-seas fisheries enforcement and combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. These consultations will improve cooperation between the two nations on a variety of important
issues including preventing IUU fish and fish products from entering international markets, collecting data on species of particular concern in order to ensure their sustainable management and conservation, and preventing illegal or unintended take of sea turtles and other protected marine species.
Currently, the United States and China work multilaterally in various regional fishery management organizations to manage shared fish stocks and participate in other global organizations that protect ocean resources as part of their mandate. Russell Smith, deputy assistant secretary for international fisheries for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said that this joint commitment to consult on fisheries management and enforcement will strengthen the U.S.-China relationship on fisheries management and ensure more coordinated and comprehensive management of the fish and living marine resources on which both of our economies and fishing industries depend.
The two countries further agreed to enhanced cooperation on greenhouse gas observing in China. This will strengthen joint research between the Chinese Meteorological Administration (CMA) and NOAA to develop accurate and reliable capabilities for observing and understanding the behavior of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A better understanding of the exchange of these gases among the land, the oceans and the atmosphere will improve greenhouse gas management decisions in both countries.
