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
73. Encourages States to consider signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or
acceding to the Cape Town Agreement of 2012 on the Implementation of the
Provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol of 1993 relating to the Torremolinos
International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977;
IV
Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
74. Emphasizes once again its serious concern that illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing remains one of the greatest threats to fish stocks and marine
ecosystems and continues to have serious and major implications for the conservation
and management of ocean resources, as well as the food security and the econ omies
of many States, particularly developing States, and renews its call upon States to
comply fully with all existing obligations and to combat such fishing and urgently to
take all steps necessary to implement the International Plan of Action to Prevent ,
Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing;
75. Recalls that, in “The future we want”, States acknowledged that illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing deprive many countries of a crucial natural
resource and remain a persistent threat to their sustainable development and
recommitted to eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as advanced in
the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and to prevent a nd combat those practices,
including by developing and implementing national and regional action plans in
accordance with the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, implementing, in accorda nce with
international law, effective and coordinated measures by coastal States, flag States,
port States, chartering nations and the States of nationality of the beneficial owners
and others who support or engage in illegal, unreported and unregulated fi shing by
identifying vessels engaged in such fishing and by depriving offenders of the benefits
accruing from it, as well as by cooperating with developing countries to
systematically identify needs and build capacity, including support for monitoring,
control, surveillance, compliance and enforcement systems;
76. Notes with satisfaction the development of an increasing number of
national plans of action to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing, and calls upon States that have not yet done so to consider
developing such plans;
77. Urges flag States to strengthen effective jurisdiction and control over
vessels flying their flag, and to exercise due diligence, including by developing or
amending national rules and regulations, where needed, in order to ensure that such
vessels do not engage in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, while reaffirming
the importance, under international law, including as reflected in the Convention, of
the responsibilities of flag States regarding fishing vessels flying their flag, including
with respect to safety at sea and labour conditions on fishing vessels;
78. Urges States to effectively exercise jurisdiction and control over their
nationals, including beneficial owners, and vessels flying their flag, in order to
prevent and deter them from engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
activities or supporting vessels engaging in illegal, unreported and unregulated
fishing activities, including those vessels listed by regional fisheries management
organizations or arrangements as engaged in those activities, and to facilitate mutual
assistance to ensure that such actions can be investigated and proper sanctions
imposed;
79. Encourages States that have not yet done so to establish penalties for
non-compliance by vessels involved in fishing or fishing-related activities and their
nationals, as appropriate, in accordance with applicable national law and consistent
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