You are viewing our old site. See the new one here

Summary and Analysis
IISD Reporting Services (IISD RS) has produced a summary and analysis from this meeting. To download our report please click below in the HTML or PDF icons.
Summary & Analysis   Dailies in English   Dailies in French   Dailies in Spanish
 
htm
pdf
 
htm
pdf
 
htm
pdf
31 May   HTML version PDF format  
Format HTML Format PDF
 
Format HTML Format PDF
Sign up for ENB
Resumed Review Conference of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement

24-28 May 2010 | UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America

UN Headquarters
Country flags outside UN Headquarters.

The resumed Review Conference of the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UN Fish Stocks Agreement) took place from 24-28 May 2010 at UN Headquarters in New York.

The Review Conference was mandated by Article 36 of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and by General Assembly resolutions 63/112 and 64/72. These resolutions established that the Review Conference, which had originally convened in 2006, could resume its work from 24-28 May 2010.

The resumed Review Conference focused on three substantive issues: areas in which implementation of recommendations adopted at the Review Conference in 2006 are proceeding well overall; areas in which implementation of recommendations from the 2006 Review Conference are at an early stage or where there has been little progress; and means to further strengthen the substance and methods of implementation of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA).

During the first three days of the meeting, delegates convened in plenary to share their views on these three issues. On the morning of the fourth day, Conference President David Balton distributed a draft outcome that sought to reflect these discussions, particularly areas where further action may be needed. Delegates met in a drafting group to further negotiate the draft text, which eventually agreed on an outcome document that was adopted late on the meeting’s fifth and final day. 

The outcome document recommends further actions in a range of areas. A key issue addressed was the conservation and management of fish stocks, including outcomes on sharks, the ecosystem approach, excess fishing capacity and developing states’ abilities to develop their fisheries. The outcome also addresses mechanisms for international cooperation; monitoring, control and surveillance, compliance and enforcement; and developing countries and non-parties to the UNFSA. In addition, the document provides guidance on the future of the UNFSA process, establishing that the Informal Consultations of States Parties (ICSPs) would continue and also that the formal Review Conference could resume, although not until at least 2015. The final report will be transmitted to the RFMO secretariats and the UN General Assembly.

The outcome was described by many participants as “focused” and “targeted.” However, some left the meeting feeling that although there was progress on several key issues, the level of ambition overall had not been sufficient to address the many daunting challenges that lie ahead.

More information...

Delegates during the plenary session on implementation of the recommendations made by the Review Conference in 2006.
Delegates during the opening plenary.
Dais during a plenary session (Left to Right) Serguei Tarassenko, Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS), Conference President David Balton (US), André Tahindro, UNDOALOS and Michael Shewchuk, UNDOALOS.
Chile highlighted the establishment of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization, and expressed concern about the state of straddling pelagic fisheries.
The EU supported performance reviews of RFMOs.
Related Links
UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea resources
*Meeting web site
*Provisional agenda
*Draft organization of work
*Agreement overview
*Compilation of recommendations

IISD RS resources
*IISD RS brefing note of the Ninth Round of Informal Consultations of States Parties (ICSP) to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UNFSA), 16-17 March 2010, UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America (English: HTML - PDF) (French: HTML - PDF)
*IISD RS summary and analysis of the Eighth Round of ICSP to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of UNCLOS Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, 16-19 March 2009, UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America (HTML - PDF)
*IISD RS summary and analysis of the Seventh Round of ICSP to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of UNCLOS Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, 11-12 March 2008, UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America (HTML - PDF)
*IISD RS summary and analysis of the Sixth Round of ICSP to the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of UNCLOS Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, 11-12 March 2008, UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America (HTML - PDF)
*IISD RS coverage of the Review Conference of the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of UNCLOS Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, 22-26 May 2006, UN Headquarters, New York, United States of America
*IISD RS archive of meetings on water, oceans, and wetlands; and backgrounder
*BIODIVERSITY-L - A mailing list for news on biodiversity and wildlife policy
*Oceans-L - A news and announcement list on oceans policy issues
*Water-L - A news and announcement list on water policy issues
*Linkages Update - Bi-weekly international environment and sustainable development news
*MEA Bulletin - Newsletter on key MEAs and their secretariats
*Climate Change Policy & Practice - News and information on the actions of international organizations in responding to the problem of global climate change
*African Regional Coverage
*Latin American and Caribbean Regional Coverage
| Back to IISD RS "Linkages" | Visit IISDnet | Send e-mail to IISD RS |
© 2010, IISD. All rights reserved.