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August 6, 1999
(Executive Council)


Premier welcomes ratification of UN Fisheries Agreement

Premier Brian Tobin welcomed Canada's ratification yesterday of the United Nations Fisheries Agreement (UNFA), also known as the Straddling Stocks Convention.

"By ratifying this agreement, Canada has demonstrated leadership against the problem of foreign overfishing," said the premier.

In 1995, Premier Brian Tobin, then federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, spearheaded adoption by the United Nations of this new convention on international conservation and enforcement. The agreement's purpose is to protect straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks outside 200 miles. The Agreement sets out specific rules regarding the conservation of fish stocks which, among other things, require adherence to the "precautionary approach" in fishing on the high seas. It also provides for significant improvements to international fisheries enforcement regimes, greater requirements on fishing nations to manage their vessels in a responsible way, and a dispute settlement regime for major international fisheries disputes.

The Agreement has now been ratified by 23 countries including Canada, with 30 parties required to come into force. The premier urged Canada to continue its efforts to have other nations ratify the agreement as soon as possible.

"International cooperation is essential to protect straddling stocks from overfishing outside 200 miles," said Premier Tobin. "The ratification of this Agreement is a major step towards protecting our straddling stocks from foreign overfishing. However, more work remains to be done. Canada must continue to show leadership on the international stage to bring these important, new rules into force."

Media contact: Heidi Bonnell, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3564.

1999 08 06         2:00 p.m.


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