“The High Seas Alliance (HSA) is a partnership of organizations and groups aimed at building a strong common voice and constituency for the conservation of the high seas and is currently made up of 29 NGOs plus the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The objective of the Alliance is to facilitate international cooperation to establish high seas protected areas and to strengthen high seas governance.
In 2014–15, the HSA and its members will be actively engaged in the “BBNJ” process (the Ad Hoc Open- ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction) taking place at the UN, as well as in capitals around the world. Through these meetings, governments are deciding whether to launch a new international agreement (“implementing agreement” under UNCLOS) that would protect and conserve and biodiversity the high seas – the portion of the ocean that belongs to all nations.
In collaboration with our HSA members, we are also providing workshops for governments on issues related to the implementing agreement.”
“The power of the Commission is that it has brought together so many minds and leaders from different disciplines to consider the challenges facing the high seas and to provide clear and definitive actions which need to be taken. Paramount amongst those are its support for an Implementing Agreement under UNCLOS, without which the high seas will remain at the mercy of uncontrolled exploitation.”
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 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.
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.