Commissioner Vella welcoming the outcome of the UNFSA Review, said: “The UNFSA is a cornerstone for ensuring that there is enough fish for future generations around the world. I am pleased that the global community recognizes the importance of this instrument and wants to work together to make it as efficient as possible. This is crucial if we want to make sure that that oceans, seas and marine resources are conserved and used sustainably as foreseen in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

On Friday afternoon, delegates adopted by consensus an outcome document which recommends further actions in a number of key actions, notably to improve the conservation and management of stocks, to increase the efficiency and coordination of Regional Fisheries Management Bodies, to foster the fight against IUU fishing through stronger monitoring, control and surveillance and better compliance, to enhance data and science and to ensure wider participation in the Agreement. In addition, new and emerging challenges, such as the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on the sustainability of fish stocks, were discussed and covered by the recommendations. It was also agreed to continue keeping the UNFSA under review through the resumption of the Review Conferences at a date not earlier than 2020 and until then address specific issues arising from the implementation of the Agreement on an annual basis through Informal Consultations of State Parties.

The UNFSA which entered into force on 11 December 2001 and currently has 83 parties, including the European Union aims at ensuring the long-term conservation and sustainable use of straddling and highly migratory fish stocks, and includes general principles for their conservation and management, such as the precautionary approach, compatibility of conservation and management measures, the duty of cooperation for conservation and management, etc.

The Review Conference assessed the effectiveness of the UNFSA in securing the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks and reviewed on that basis the implementation of the recommendations adopted at previous Review Conference in 2006 and 2010. As a result means for further strengthening the substance and methods of implementation of UNFSA provisions were agreed.