A/RES/71/123
Sustainable fisheries, including through the 1995 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, and related instruments
given the state of fisheries resources, and without prejudicing the Doha and Hong
Kong ministerial mandates on fisheries subsidies or the need to conclude those
negotiations, to eliminate subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing
and to refrain from introducing new such subsidies or from extending or enhancing
existing ones;
117. Urges States to eliminate fisheries subsidies that contribute to
overfishing and overcapacity and to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,
including through accelerating work to complete negotiations on fisheries subsidies
at the World Trade Organization, recognizing that appropriate and effective special
and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an
integral part of the World Trade Organization negotiations on fisheries subsidies;
VII
Large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing
118. Expresses concern that, despite the adoption of General Assembly
resolution 46/215, the practice of large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing still exists and
remains a threat to living marine resources;
119. Urges States, individually and through regional fisheries management
organizations and arrangements, to adopt effective measures, or strengthen existing
measures, to implement and enforce the provisions of resolution 46/215 and
subsequent resolutions on large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing in order to eliminate
the use of large-scale pelagic drift nets in all seas and oceans, which means that
efforts to implement resolution 46/215 should not result in the transfer to other parts
of the world of drift nets that contravene the resolution;
120. Also urges States, individually and through regional fisheries management
organizations and arrangements, to adopt effective measures, or strengthen existing
measures, to implement and enforce the present global moratorium on the use of
large-scale pelagic drift nets on the high seas, and calls upon States to ensure that
vessels flying their flag that are duly authorized to use large -scale drift nets in
waters under their national jurisdiction do not use such gear for fishing while on the
high seas;
VIII
Fisheries by-catch and discards
121. Urges States, subregional and regional fisheries management organizations
and arrangements and other relevant international organizations that have not done
so to take action, including with consideration of the interests of developing coastal
States and, as appropriate, subsistence fishing communities, to minimize by -catch,
as well as to reduce or eliminate catch by lost or abandoned gear, fish discards and
post-harvest losses, including of juvenile fish, consistent with international law and
relevant international instruments, including the Code, and in particular to consider
measures including, as appropriate, technical measures related to fish size, mesh
size or gear, discards, closed seasons and areas and zones reserved for selected
fisheries, particularly artisanal fisheries, the establishment of mechanisms for
communicating information on areas of high concentration of juvenile fish, taking
into account the importance of ensuring the confidentiality of such information, and
support for studies and research that will minimize by-catch of juvenile fish, and to
ensure that these measures are implemented so as to optimize their effectiveness;
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