A/RES/73/125
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
States participating in negotiations to establish such organizations or arrangements,
to consider the results available from different types of marine scientific research,
including, as appropriate, those listed in paragraph 194 above, concerning the
identification of areas containing vulnerable marine ecosystems, and to adopt
conservation and management measures to prevent significant adverse impacts from
bottom fishing on such ecosystems, consistent with the Guidelines, or to close such
areas to bottom fishing until such conservation and management measures are
adopted, as well as to continue to undertake further marine sci entific research, for the
above-mentioned purposes, in accordance with international law, as reflected in
Part XIII of the Convention;
196. Encourages, in this regard, States, regional fisheries management
organizations and arrangements with the competence to manage deep-sea fisheries,
and States participating in negotiations to establish such organizations or
arrangements to carry out further marine scientific research to address the remaining
knowledge gaps, in particular with regard to fish stock assess ments, and to base and
update conservation and management measures on the best available scientific
information, in accordance with international law, as reflected in Part XIII of the
Convention;
197. Notes with concern that vulnerable marine ecosystems may also be
impacted by human activities other than bottom fishing, and encourages in this regard
States and competent international organizations to consider taking action to address
such impacts;
198. Calls upon States, individually and through regional fisheries management
organizations and arrangements, to take into account the potential impacts of climate
change and ocean acidification in taking measures to manage deep -sea fisheries and
protect vulnerable marine ecosystems;
199. Calls upon States, individually and through regional fisheries management
organizations and arrangements with the competence to regulate deep -sea fisheries,
to adopt conservation and management measures, including monitoring, control and
surveillance measures, on the basis of the best available scientific information,
including stock assessments, to ensure the long-term sustainability of deep-sea fish
stocks and non-target species and the rebuilding of depleted stocks, consistent with
the Guidelines and, where scientific information is uncertain, unreliable or
inadequate, to ensure that conservation and management measures are established
consistent with the precautionary approach, in particular with regard to vulnerable,
threatened or endangered species;
200. Recognizes, in particular, the special circumstances and requirements of
developing States and the specific challenges they may face in giving full effect to
certain technical aspects of the Guidelines, and that implementation by such States of
paragraphs 83 to 87 of resolution 61/105, paragraph 119 of resolution 64/72,
paragraph 129 of resolution 66/68 and paragraph 180 of resolution 71/123 and the
Guidelines should proceed in a manner that gives full consideration to section 6 of
the Guidelines on the special requirements of developing countries;
201. Recognizes the need to enhance the capacity of developing States,
including with regard to stock assessments, impact assessments, scientific and
technical knowledge and training, and encourages States to provide technical and
financial support to developing countries to address their specia l requirements and
challenges in implementing the Guidelines;
202. Welcomes the substantial ongoing work of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations related to the management of deep -sea fisheries
in the high seas and the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems, including the
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