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The penultimate phase of UN negotiations to secure legal protection for biodiversity in the high seas and deep seabed Area have started in New York (19 August 2019) against a backdrop of growing concern over the prospect of deep-sea mining.
Continue reading Calls for a Deep Seabed Mining Moratorium Grow
Source: Seafood Source
The latest technical paper on catch documentation schemes from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), discusses how such schemes benefit, or could benefit, deep-sea fisheries by protecting them from illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
Continue reading High-seas illegal fishing thwarted by catch documentation schemes
Source: Nature Conservancy
Author: Maria Damanaki
There’s a proverb I’m fond of: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” I thought of this proverb as I followed the recent UN negotiations around a treaty to establish international governance for the high seas.
The high seas—the part of the ocean that lies outside of any national territory—cover almost 50 percent of the planet, but as of now they are subject to few regulations of any kind. The proposed UN treaty aims to establish guidelines “for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.” With three more negotiation sessions to come, the goal is to ratify by the spring of 2020.
Continue reading What Happens If We Don’t Protect the High Seas?
Source: NPR
Author: Alistair Bland
The jury is in on marine reserves: They work. Research has repeatedly shown that fish numbers quickly climb following well-enforced fishing bans, creating tangible benefits for fishers who work the surrounding waters. In fact, many experts believe fishing will only be sustainable if marine reserves are expanded significantly.
That’s why some activists and scientists are now discussing the idea of creating a marine reserve so big it would cover most of the ocean. Specifically, they want fishing banned in international waters.
Continue reading Could A Ban On Fishing In International Waters Become A Reality?
Source: Hakai Magazine
Author: Marcus Woo
Recent research suggests fisheries closures would have minimal effect on global food security, but some scientists think the case isn’t so clear cut.
Far offshore are the high seas—waters beyond any country’s jurisdiction and the focus of a contentious debate. The high seas, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean’s surface, have recently seen an increase in fishing and other activities, such as deep-sea mining. To protect the biodiversity of this vast environment, delegates attending a meeting currently underway in New York are negotiating for a new international treaty, an addition to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Continue reading Closing the High Seas to Fishing Probably Won’t Hurt Global Food Security
Source: Le Figaro
Author: Marielle Court
Les négociations sur les ressources minières dans les eaux internationales s’ouvrent avec la biodiversité en toile de fond.
Continue reading L’ONU veut réguler l’exploitation de la haute mer
MSC Certification hearing to decide future of deep sea orange roughy caught through damaging deep sea bottom trawling
On Monday 24th and Tuesday 25th October, at the offices of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in London, the future of vulnerable corals in the South Pacific ocean and the deep dwelling, slow growing orange roughy will be decided.
Continue reading Bottom-Trawled Fish Could Be Labelled For ‘Sustainable’ Consumption
Source: Virgin Unite
Author: Susanna Fuller
I’m planning a trip to St. John’s, Newfoundland this week and while I’ve been there several times, this visit seems more important than others. It was in that city, a little over a decade ago, that I attended a meeting with a number of scientists and began to get substantively involved in efforts to protect areas of the high seas from the impacts of bottom trawling.
Continue reading Why We Must Act Now To Protect The Deep Sea From Destructive Bottom Trawling
The South Pacific regional fisheries management organization (SPRFMO) held its fourth Commission meeting in Valdivia, Chile from January 25-29.
Source: The Washington Post
Author: Chelsea Harvey
The state of the world’s fish stocks may be in worse shape than official reports indicate, according to new data — a possibility with worrying consequences for both international food security and marine ecosystems.
Continue reading Why we’ve been hugely underestimating the overfishing of the oceans
