There are several wider global agreements that affect
fisheries under the Common Fisheries Policy.
Convention on the Law of the Sea
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
was agreed by 117 countries in December 1982. This legally-binding
treaty grants coastal nations sovereignty over 'territorial
waters', which extend to 12 nautical miles from the coastline.
Within a nation's 12 nautical mile boundary, commercial vessels of
other nations are granted 'the right of innocent passage'. Beyond
this zone, all vessels and aircraft, either military or commercial,
have free access. UNCLOS also grants an 'Exclusive Economic Zone'
(EEZ) to signatory coastal nations, providing exclusive rights up
to 200 miles from the coast.
Where coastal nations have a continental shelf, the EEZ gives
them exclusive rights to reserves of oil and gas, and other
resources occurring within the shelf region, up to 200 nautical
miles from the shore. The UK, USA, and Canada are among the UN
members that did not sign this treaty. Objections to the provisions
of UNCLOS included those relating to seabed mining and other issues
of resource use and management within continental shelf areas.
However, following treaty revision in 1994, all three countries
signed, although Canada have yet to ratify the treaty.
Straddling stocks agreement
As part of the implementation of UNCLOS, the United Nations
Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks (UNFA) establishes principles for the conservation of such
species, and provides guidelines for their management based on the
precautionary approach and the best available scientific
information. The term 'straddling stock' is used to describe those
stocks of migratory species that spend part of their lifecycle in
two or more jurisdictions; especially those that migrate between
'Exclusive Economic Zones' (EEZs) and international waters.
The Agreement details how states should co-operate to conserve
fish stocks in order to ensure they are exploited in a sustainable
manner, both within EEZs and on the high seas. UNFA provides the
framework for such co-operation by outlining minimum international
standards for the conservation and management of straddling and
highly migratory fish stocks. Further, UNFA strives to ensure that
measures taken for the conservation and management of those stocks
in areas under national jurisdiction and in adjacent international
seas are compatible. UNFA recognises the special requirements of
developing States in relation to conservation, development, and
participation in fisheries for straddling and highly migratory fish
stocks.
The agreement came into force in December 2001. We welcome its
inclusion in European fisheries policy. It is critical that the
Community continues to strive for international co-operation in
order to promote sustainable fisheries practice, both within
European and international waters. UNFA is an important step in
this direction.
The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
The Fisheries and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations developed the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries,
which was adopted in October of 1995. The Code provides
international standards for responsible fishing practices. It aims
to ensure the conservation, effective management, and sustainable
development of fish stocks while respecting the ecosystem and
marine biodiversity.
Further, the code takes account of the needs of those with
interests in the fishery sector. These include the nutritional,
economic, social, environmental and cultural importance of global
fisheries. The code recognises the importance of the biological
characteristics of living resources, the environment they rely on,
as well as the diverse interests of consumers and other
stakeholders with an interest in their sustainable management.
Individual nations and indeed all those involved in fisheries are
encouraged to adhere to the code.