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/73/125
Taking note of the report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations entitled The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018, in which it was
stated that 33.1 per cent of assessed marine fish stocks were estimated to be fished at
a biologically unsustainable level and therefore overfished as of 2015, and taking note
of the report of the Committee on Fisheries, at its thirty-third session, in which serious
concern about the state of the world’s fish stocks was expressed, noting the continued
increase in the proportion of overfished stocks, and in which it was also recognized
that the situation was very different in different areas of the worl d,3
Expressing its support for accelerating work to complete the ongoing
negotiations in the World Trade Organization to strengthen disciplines on subsidies
in the fisheries sector, including through the prohibition of certai n forms of fisheries
subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing,
Noting the ministerial decision on fisheries subsidies, adopted at the Eleventh
Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization, held in Buenos Aires from
10 to 13 December 2017,
Concerned that only a limited number of States have taken measures to
implement, individually and through regional fisheries management organizations
and arrangements, the International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing
Capacity adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
Recalling the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing adopted by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations,
Particularly concerned that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
continues to constitute a serious threat to fish stocks and marine habitats and
ecosystems, to the detriment of sustainable fisheries as well as the food security and
the economies of many States, particularly developing States,
Concerned that some operators increasingly take advantage of the globalization
of fishery markets to trade fishery products stemming from illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing and make economic profits from those operations, which
constitutes an incentive for them to pursue their activities,
Recognizing that effective deterrence and combating of illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing has significant financial and other resource implications fo r all
States, in particular developing States,
Recognizing also that fishing by vessels without nationality on the high seas
undermines relevant objectives of the Convention and the Agreement to conserve and
sustainably manage marine resources, and noting with concern that fishing vessels
without nationality operate on the high seas without governance and oversight,
Recognizing further the role of the Global Record of Fishing Vessels,
Refrigerated Transport Vessels and Supply Vessels in the concerted fi ght against
illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,
Recognizing the duty provided in the Convention, the Agreement to Promote
Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing
Vessels on the High Seas (the Compliance Agreement), 5 the Agreement and the Code
for flag States to effectively exercise jurisdiction and control over fishing vessels
flying their flag, and vessels flying their flag which provide support to fishing vessels,
to ensure that the activities of such fishing and support vessels do not undermine the
effectiveness of conservation and management measures taken in accordance with
international law and adopted at the national, subregional, regional or global levels,
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