Oceans

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NGO Position Papers

NGO Statements

Other Information

NGO Position Papers

- NEW - Oceans Caucus Suggested Amendments to the Co-Chairs' text, CSD Intersessional (Feb., 1999)
- NEW - Position Paper of WWF International
Position Paper of the Marine Stewardship Council
Position Paper on the Protection of the Marine Environment - German NGO Forum on Environment and Development
Oceans in Towards Earth Summit II - the NGO position on Oceans as at 1997

NGO Statements

- NEW - NGO Statements to the CSD Intersessional

1 March 1999, presented by Jane Earley, MSC
3 March 1999, presented by Brendan May, MSC

Other Information

- NEW - Download the Report of the Intersessional Working Group on Oceans and Seas [and SIDS] in PDF format
Oceans Caucus Membership
CSD Secretariat's Oceans Page
CSD Member State Ratification of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement - check if your government has ratified this agreement. If not, write to them, suggesting that they do so before CSD-7! Not sure of your Environment Ministry's address? Look it up here.

Oceans in Towards Earth Summit II
NGO priorities for the five-year review of Rio, June 1997
(section 2.4) back to top
We call for: The setting up of a more effective forum or mechanism for ocean-related dialogue and action, e.g., an Intergovernmental Panel on Oceans (IPO) or a sub Commission of the CSD, meetings of States Parties to the Law of the Sea Convention, and/or other appropriate mechanisms. Such an entity should contribute to the preparation of a comprehensive scientific assessment of the state of the oceans and the necessary policy recommendations, taking into account the related activities of UNEP and GESAMP - the Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution. We also request the Special Session to instruct the FAO to analyze the efficiency of current fishing fleet decommissioning schemes associated with excess of fishing capacity, on the basis of the objectives of the UN Fish Stocks agreement, the FAO Code of Conduct on Responsible Fisheries and related emerging strategies, with a view towards reducing capacity to sustainable levels, especially in relation to large-scale, industrial class vessels. Immediate action is also necessary to address problems of wasteful fishing practices, fisheries and oil platforms, and unsustainable aquaculture.

Implementation: The ocean dialogue and action forum would have close ties with or be subsidiary to the CSD, reporting annually to the CSD up to the year 2002, at which time it would make full recommendations to the 10th Anniversary Review of Rio. Given that the Law of the Sea Treaty is now in force, and agreement also offers possibilities for forums within which ocean-related dialogue and action can be discussed, with recommended actions forwarded to the UNGA as well as the CSD. The UN Division on Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, the ACC Subcommittee on Coastal and Ocean Areas (SOCA) and/or a subgroup of the CSD should be considered for purposes of serving as the Secretariat.

Rationale: There is no question that the present international machinery regarding Oceans lacks coherence. After all, the oceans are a vital food source, a global carbon sink and home to some of the most beautiful and diverse species on the planet. We know that 70% of the world's marine fisheries are being fished at their maximum level of productivity, are over-fished or are threatened, endangered or commercially extinct.

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