The President of the United States issued a memorandum on 2 October declaring that it shall be the policy of the United States, in support of sustainable fishing methods, to work with other countries to bring an end to destructive, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.

The U.S. statement defines destructive fishing practices as “practices that destroy the long-term natural productivity of fish stocks or habitats such as seamounts, corals, and sponge fields for short-term gain”. The United States will work with other states and organisations to eliminate practices that jeopardize fish stocks and related habitats and in support of rules based on sound science that will promote sustainable fisheries.

“The World Conservation Union welcomes the strong position adopted by the U.S. government and urges other states to support such views. We also support an interim prohibition of bottom trawling on the high seas, as urgent action, based on the precautionary approach and best available scientific knowledge, needs to be taken to protect the vulnerable seamounts, corals and other high seas biodiversity,” said Harlan Cohen, Advisor on Ocean Governance and International Institutions of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

During a week-long discussion at the United Nations last week, the United States agreed to work within existing Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) and other arrangements to enhance sustainable fishing practices and to phase out destructive fishing methods. Where no RFMOs exist, the United States will work with other countries to establish new ones. In the interim, the United States calls on other countries to prohibit their vessels from engaging in destructive fishing practices in these areas. To minimize the damage to high seas biodiversity, the United States will work with others to establish criteria to determine which marine ecosystems are not at risk of damage from destructive fishing practices and will further collaborate with other countries to combat unlawful, unregulated and unreported fishing through enhanced technologies.

The White House statement follows a U.S. Senate resolution that urges the United Nations General Assembly to adopt a resolution to protect the living resources and vulnerable habitats of the high seas from destructive, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices.

To guide ongoing international discussions for the conservation and sustainable management of cold-water coral ecosystems on seamounts, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has just released a draft summary report that gives an overview of available scientific information on those fragile ecosystems and identifies critical information gaps to cover.

As many seamounts, representing biological hotspots and supporting many living resources including commercially exploited fisheries, are located in the high seas, the report will help the international community to adopt conservation and management measures based on scientific information. As noted in the U.S. statement, it is essential that measures taken for the conservation and management of the high seas are based on sound science.

Informal consultations will continue at the United Nations over the next few weeks on steps to promote sustainable fisheries and protect vulnerable deep sea ecosystems from destructive fishing practices.

For more information:

Seamounts, deep-sea corals and fisheries. UNEP-WCMC draft summary.

IUCN Recommendation on high seas conservation:

Kristina Gjerde, IUCN High Seas Policy Advisor, kgjerdeit.com.pl

Harlan Cohen, IUCN Advisor on Ocean Governance and International Institutions,

hcoheniucnus.org

Carolin Wahnbaeck, IUCN Global Media Relations Officer, Tel +41 22 999 0127,

carolin.wahnbaeckiucn.org