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Premier comments on Introduction of Bill into the House of Commons to Ratify the United Nations Fisheries Agreement

Premier Brian Tobin said today he is pleased that the federal government is introducing a Bill in the House of Commons to ratify the United Nations Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (UNFA).

Canada, with the full support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, has been working to achieve an effective international regime to protect and rebuild straddling stocks like cod, flounder and turbot on the Grand Banks.

"In August 1995, an international conference approved new rules for conservation and enforcement outside 200 miles," said the Premier. "Canada should take a lead role and move quickly to ratify the agreement. By doing so, Canada can set an example for the rest of the world. Parliament has acted swiftly and decisively in the past to protect fish resources, and should do so again."

Canada played a major role in getting the UN to agree on the UNFA. Key objectives for the agreement were laid down by Canada at a 1994 session, and include:

• minimum international conservation standards;
• compatibility;
• duty to cooperate in fisheries conservation;
• compliance and enforcement;
• dispute settlement.

The Premier said that new international rules are expected to come into force as early as December this year, once 30 nations ratify the new UN agreement. "We will have taken a major step forward in the areas of effective enforcement, conservation and control once this law is in place. Concerted international action is needed for sustainable development of straddling stocks for the future," he noted.

Contact: Heidi Bonnell, Premier's Office, (709) 729-3564.

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BACKGROUNDER
United Nations Fisheries Agreement (UNFA)

• Canada, with the support of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, played a lead role in bringing forward a solution to the problem of managing straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. This process, which was started at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, eventually lead to the United Nations Fisheries Agreement (UNFA).
• The principal elements of UNFA, reached in August 1995, are:
  • MINIMUM INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION STANDARDS The agreement entrenches the precautionary approach in fisheries management, ensures that scientific reference points are not exceeded, that harvesting does not exceed maximum sustainable yields, and that new and exploratory fisheries are managed by catch and effort controls.
  • COMPATIBILITY The UNFA requires that conservation and management measures established in international waters are consistent with those adopted for the same resources under national jurisdiction, and that measures established outside 200 miles do not negatively impact the resource as a whole.
  • DUTY TO COOPERATE IN FISHERIES CONSERVATION Countries which are not members of regional fisheries organizations are obligated to participate in the conservation and management of straddling stocks, and highly migratory fish stocks, and non-members shall not authorize members flying their flag to participate in fisheries that are not supported by the regional fisheries organizations.
  • COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT The UNFA delineates obligations relating to control, monitoring and surveillance on the high seas. It permits a country which participates in a regional fisheries management organization to board and inspect the vessels of other members. It goes on to outline the responsibilities of the flag state, and allows other countries to take action when the responsible state fails to do so.
  • DISPUTE SETTLEMENT The agreement provides for an effective, compulsory and binding dispute settlement framework.
• In August 1996, the United States became the first country to ratify the 1995 United Nations Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
• As of April 14, 1997, thirteen nations have ratified the United Nations Fisheries Agreement. New international rules may come into force as early as December of this year, once a total of 30 member nations have ratified the agreement.