United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA)
The United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA), also known as the Straddling Fish Stocks Agreement, is a multilateral treaty established by the United Nations to strengthen international cooperation in the conservation and management of fisheries resources that span across multiple Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). Its full title is:
Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.
Overview
- Adopted: 1995
- Entered into force: 2001
- Parties: As of December 2016, 91 parties (90 countries and the European Union) had ratified the treaty.
Key Concepts
Straddling Fish Stocks
These are fish stocks that migrate across or occur in more than one EEZ. Their shared nature makes them susceptible to overexploitation due to fragmented management and enforcement challenges.
Highly Migratory Fish
This term originates from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and refers to species with extensive oceanic migration patterns and broad geographic distributions. Key species include:
- Tuna and tuna-like species
- Sharks
- Marlin
- Swordfish
Purpose of the Agreement
- To promote long-term conservation and sustainable use of straddling and highly migratory fish stocks.
- To improve cooperation between coastal and fishing nations.
- To establish mechanisms for compliance, enforcement, and dispute resolution.
- To ensure that fishing practices do not endanger the sustainability of transboundary marine resources.
See Also
References
- United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks
- The Quest for Sustainable International Fisheries: Regional Efforts to Implement the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement – Overview prepared for the May 2006 Review Conference
External Links
- UN Audiovisual Library – Procedural history and related documents on the UNFSA(https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/iaunfs/iaunfs.html)