“The Sargasso Sea Alliance’s mission is three fold:
• Encouraging governments to take proactive and precautionary measures toward overfishing, seabed mining and shipping impacts
• Providing regional management organizations with the information they need to consider their management areas in an ecosystem context
• Facilitating voluntary international collaboration- such as through the Hamilton Declaration on the Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea which endorses the creation of a Sargasso Sea Commission to serve in a stewardship role
““On March 11 2014, five governments signed the “Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea.” The Hamilton Declaration is the result of a two-year negotiation between interested governments that are either located in the broader Sargasso Sea area, have an interest in species within it or more generally in high seas conservation. It is historic in that is the first non-binding instrument designed to provide a framework for intergovernmental collaboration to promote measures, through existing international organizations, to minimize the adverse effects of human activities in an ecosystem that is primarily in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). It also envisages the establishment of a Sargasso Sea Commission, to “exercise a stewardship role for the Sargasso Sea and keep its health, productivity and resilience under continual review.” We think this is a new paradigm for high seas conservation – which supports the recommendations of the GOC. Dr. David Freestone, Executive Secretary elect, Sargasso Sea Commission”
UNCLOS implementing agreement on high seas marine biological diversity Universal ratification and prompt implementation of existing agreements Special Representative for the Ocean Regional Ocean Management Organisations
Setting IMO mandatory numbers for large fishing vessels, banning at-sea transshipment, ratifying and implementing international fisheries and labour treaties. Creating greater collaboration with industry and other stakeholders.
Setting up a High Seas Regeneration Zone where regional fishery management organizations have not taken such action. Ensuring that fish stocks are replenished, as well as equitably and sustainably shared for present and future generations.
International regulations are failing to preserve the high seas, and to manage its valuable resources sustainably and fairly. The existing governance structure is insufficient, weak and chaotic, and is often not respected. Political leadership is needed to strengthen high seas governance and make it fit for purpose in the 21st Century.
With this in mind, the Global Ocean Commission is calling for:
A new global agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in international waters;
All countries to adhere to ‘the constitution of the ocean’ (UNCLOS) and other relevant international agreements, and to apply them;
The appointment, by the UN Secretary-General, of a high level UN Special Representative for the Ocean, to coordinate all areas related to the ocean and the law of the sea, and provide the leadership needed for action;
Regular independent reviews of regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) to make them accountable for their environmental performance;
Regional ocean management organisations (ROMOs) to be created – or formed by adapting existing organisations – that are responsible for the preservation and productivity of the entire ecosystem, rather than only fish resources or specific species;
Ocean envoys or ministers to be appointed at country level, to create stronger coordination between ministries responsible for fishing, environment, climate, development, mining and other ocean-related issues.
Illegal fishing severely undermines all existing conservation and management measures in place for fish stocks. It costs the global economy between US$10 and US$23.5 billion a year, and is largely carried out by vessels from a handful of countries that do not adhere to or comply with international regulations.
Poor countries, which do not have the capacity to monitor their waters and whose vital resources diminish because of illegal pillage, are the worst affected. Illegal fishing is also linked to other forms of criminality as fishing vessels can also be used for smuggling people, drugs and weapons. The illegality of the practice needs to be established, the likelihood of being caught and sanctioned needs to be increased, and illegally caught fish must be prevented from entering markets.
In order to combat and end illegal fishing, the Global Ocean Commission is calling for:
The Commission recognises that continued scientific findings are necessary to evaluate the cumulative impacts of human activities on the high seas so that informed decisions can be made about reversing the degradation of the global ocean. This said, the precautionary principle tells us that a lack of scientific information cannot be a reason for inaction by the international community if we are to ensure the health of the global ocean.
We are convinced that our proposals, if implemented, would reverse the cycle of degradation. But there is a long history of good proposals not being implemented. If this happens, and the result is the continued decline of the high seas, it will impact the whole ocean and people and systems across the planet because of the specific regenerative capacity of the high seas.
We are concerned to ensure that if the health of the global ocean does not improve, then consequences should follow to save this vital natural resource. The Global Ocean Accountability Board should provide independent monitoring of progress. If it reports continued decline after a period of, say, five years or similarly short period of time, then the world community of States should consider turning the high seas – with the exception of those areas where RFMO action is effective – into a regeneration zone where industrial fishing is prevented. Such action would need to take account of RFMO functions within EEZs; and would need to include provision for the ban to be lifted as effective proposals for resource management are put in place for the conservation and management of living resources in the respective areas. The objective of this trigger mechanism and the associated regeneration zone concept is to make fish stocks sustainable for present and future generations, and to replenish ocean life equitably to secure the wellbeing of this global commons for the health of the planet, its people and its biodiversity.