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 A/RES/69/109 Recognizing also the need to further integrate ecosystem approaches into fisheries conservation and management and, more generally, the importance of applying ecosystem approaches to the management of human activities in the ocean, and noting in this regard the Reykjavik Declaration on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem, 10 the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations related to guidelines for the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management and the importance of this approach to relevant provisions of the Agreement and the Code, as well as decision VII/11 11 and other relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Recognizing further the economic and cultural importance of sharks in many countries, the biological importance of sharks in the marine ecosystem as key predatory species, the vulnerability of certain shark species to overexploitation, the fact that some are threatened with extinction, the need for measures to promote the long-term conservation, management and sustainable use of shark populations and fisheries, and the relevance of the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks, adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1999, in providing guidance on the development of such measures, Welcoming in this regard the review by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations of the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks, and its ongoing work in this regard, Noting with concern that basic data on shark stocks and harvests continue to be lacking and that not all regional fisheries management organizations and arrangements have adopted conservation and management measures for directed shark fisheries and for the regulation of by-catch of sharks from other fisheries, Welcoming science-based measures taken by States to conserve and sustainably manage sharks, and noting in this respect management measures taken by coastal States, including limits on catch or fishing effort, technical measures, including by-catch reduction measures, sanctuaries, closed seasons and areas and monitoring, control and surveillance, Noting the addition in 2013 of five shark species and two species of manta ray to appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 12 Noting with concern the continuing practice of the removal of fins from sharks, with the remainder of the carcass being discarded at sea, Recognizing the importance of marine species occupying low trophic levels in the ecosystem and for food security, and the need to ensure their long-term sustainability, Expressing concern over continued incidental mortality, in fishing operations, of seabirds, particularly albatrosses and petrels, as well as other marine species, including sharks, fin-fish species, marine mammals and marine turtles, while recognizing considerable efforts by States and through various regional fisheries _______________ 10 E/CN.17/2002/PC.2/3, annex. See United Nations Environment Programme, document UNEP/CBD/COP/7/21, annex. 12 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 993, No. 14537. 11 6/34