Sustainable Development and High Seas Fisheries

Otto Spijkers,Natalia Jevglevskaja

doi:10.18352/ulr.210

Abstract

The Utrecht Law Review is an open-access peer-reviewed journal which aims to offer an international academic platform for cross-border legal research. In the first place, this concerns research in which the boundaries of the classic branches of the law (private law, criminal law, constitutional and administrative law, European and public international law) are crossed and connections are made between these areas of the law, amongst others from a comparative law perspective. In addition, the journal welcomes research in which classic law is brought face to face with not strictly legal disciplines such as philosophy, economics, political sciences and public administration science.The journal was established in 2005 and is affiliated to the Utrecht University School of Law. If you wish to receive e-mail alerts please join the mailing list.

Highlights

What makes life on Earth possible? In the view of Cherdsak Virapat, the Executive Director of the International Oceans Institute, we continue to live as long as we have the ocean, this ‘gigantic body of salt water, which wraps around the planet like an insulating blanket.’[1]. This blanket is truly unique
As shown by the 2012 World Review of Fisheries and Aquaculture, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the proportion of non-fully exploited fish stocks continues to decrease, whereas the percentage of fully exploited stocks has increased to approximately 57%
The Secretary-General referred to it recently as ‘the most comprehensive and effective programme of action ever launched by the international community to preserve the rights of future generations.’[17]. Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 introduced several new elements not yet embraced by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),[18] including an emphasis on integrated and precautionary approaches to the protection of the marine and coastal environment

Summary

Introduction

What makes life on Earth possible? In the view of Cherdsak Virapat, the Executive Director of the International Oceans Institute, we continue to live as long as we have the ocean, this ‘gigantic body of salt water, which wraps around the planet like an insulating blanket.’[1]. The amount of overexploited stocks is 30% The latter require immediate and strict management to ensure their sustainable productivity.[3] The situation is critical for some highly migratory, straddling and other fisheries that are exploited solely or partially in the high seas. In contrast with the territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the natural resources of the high seas may be exploited by all and any state.[4] These high seas’ waters cover collectively 218.7 million km[2], equalling about 61% of the world’s oceans, or 43% of the globe’s surface, comprising by far the largest, and one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. Special attention is paid to the sustainable use of the living resources of the high seas.[6]

References to the ocean in declarations on sustainable development

See in general with regard to Agenda 21 Chapter 17

Findings

Conclusion