Happy World Oceans Day!

World Oceans day (June 8th) saw 40 senior Members of Parliament from 15 key fishing nations and regions, including Japan, US, Europe, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico and Brazil agreed a Global Marine Recovery Strategy on world fisheries intended to reverse the decline of global fisheries.

Initiated by the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment (GLOBE), the legislators were advised by the world’s leading scientific and policy experts, lead by IPSO's Alex Rogers, who presented a bleak outlook for fishery stocks if immediate political action was not taken.

The legislators pledged to advance the strategy through their respective parliaments with the following priority actions:

• Mandate the UN to review and monitor RFMO performance based on existing benchmark standards for RFMOs in the UNFSA.
• Support the development of a multilateral and enforceable agreement on fishing subsidy reform within the World Trade Organisation.
• Require all fishing and reefer vessels to carry unique identification, such as IMO numbers.
• Hold non-compliant states accountable using the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea.
• Adopt modern MPA network targets to propel the creation of marine reserves and networks globally.
• Investigate a new Global Framework Agreement for Marine Spatial Planning in areas beyond national jurisdiction.