Co-submitters are any delegates who have either participated in the construction of this resolution (e.g. merging, contributing clauses) or alternatively have signed that they would like to see this resolution debated in committee.

FORUM: Ecology and Environment
QUESTION OF: Fishing Rights in Economic Exclusion Zones
SUBMITTED BY: UK
CO-SUBMITTED BY: Greece, France, Peru, Monaco, USA, Fiji


THE ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE,

Defines an (Economic Exclusion Zone) EEZ as an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources including energy production from wind and sea. An EEZ stretches 200 nautical miles from the country's baseline,

Recognizes the difference between internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous sea, internal waters and continental shelf which extends 350 nautical miles,

Further defines fishing related activities as, 'any operation in support of or in preparation for fishing, including the landing packaging, processing, transshipping or transporting of fish that have not been previously landed at a port, as well as the provisioning of personnel. Fuel gear and other supplies at sea'- Goettingen Journal of International law,

Aware of 90% of global fish stocks are located in the EEZs of coastal States and that about 2.75 to 7.75 billion USD are generated annually from illegal fishing activities in EEZs of coastal States,

Deeply concerned that West African States incur losses of an estimated USD 1 billion due to illegal fishing annually. As a result, conservation measures of coastal States are undermined and fish stocks collapse, negatively affecting the livelihood of local fishing communities and the profitability of the local fishing industry,

Further recognizes that one of the main causes for the worldwide decline in fish stocks is the so-called "illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing" [IUU-fishing]. According to recent studies, IUU fishing generates between USD 4 and 9 billion in revenues annually,

Noting that EEZ's makeup 58% of earth's oceans,

Recalling EEZ's were adopted during the United Nations Convention on the Law Of Sea (UNCLOS) conference in 1982,

Defining 'ghost fishing' at continued damage cause to fish and marine life by left over fishing or lost fishing equipment left on the ocean floor,

Further recognizes that 'ghost fishing' is a large contributor to the harming of endangered and protected species, underwater habitats, non-targeted organisms and coral reefs,

1) Recommends that all member nations to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea UNCLOS or ensure the implement all actions of this convention;

2) Calls for the creation of a new UN committee called the United Nations Committee of the Sea (UNCOS), to work in conjunction with the relevant International Maritime Organization (IMO) technical committees, this committee would be focused on issues relating to biodiversity and general natural condition of the marine habitat, disputes between countries and resolving them through diplomatic means and ensuring that all complaints made by member nations are listened to and that laws are updated with the times, the committee would oversee the following;
a) the distribution of drones along with other surveillance equipment to LEDCs to aid with catching, deterring and stopping illegal fishing in their EEZ's, with particular focus on West African member nations,
b) further engagement in diplomatic means by facilitating a biannual conference held in Geneva, Switzerland member nations could share results, resources, ideas complaints and communicate on topics and issues relevant to them and their EEZ,
c) the distribution of funding to member nations to engage in more biodiversity and conservation efforts, results to be reviewed at the conference and under constant monitoring, which will include such but limited to, the monitoring of 'non-fishing' areas within EEZ's, to ensure protected areas aren't being illegally exploited,
d) creating an annual report to the UN security council on tensions between member nations, possible and current conflicts, along with diplomatic measures both in practice and planned or forecasted to be implemented in the future,
e) asks for the reinforcement and strengthening of security measures for EEZ's of coastal countries whose EEZ territory is situated in vulnerable or turbulent areas;

3) Further calls for the creation of a UN fund to be overseen by the UNCOS and financed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to aid in the implementation of the provisions outlined in clause 2;

4) Requests the creation of a mass media campaign to educate the general population on the damage caused to the marine habitat by commercial fishing and means to help and educate people through the following measures:
a) educational programs to primary and secondary level children to be delivered through appropriate classes,
b) television interviews with UN scientists across global news channels,
c) educational information classes to the local community through available facilities such as libraries and community halls, where classes could be given by UN-s local trained volunteers, particularly aimed at those who are elderly or are not receiving education,
d) online training courses for people who are interested in giving classes to the local community,

e) posters and images on the new UNCOS social media channels along with any other relevant forms of media;

5) Encourages the diversification of the use the EEZ's by coastal states for more leisure activities, specifically in countries with high levels of tourism, aided by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), financed by the afore-mentioned fund Clause 3;

6) Further encourages the implementation of 'catch shares' in EEZ's, overseen by the UNCOS as to allocate a sustainable limit of a certain catch per individual fishermen, groups and larger fishing companies, to prevent the overexploitation of certain species to allow them to naturally regenerate;

7) Stresses the need for management and conduction of research specifically combating the problem of 'ghost fishing', overseen by relevant bodies such as IMO, by means such as but not limited to;
a) retrieving 'ghost gear' by using new technology such as electronic tags to locate lost gear,
b) introducing increased Research and Development into how to determine the best mesh size for a multispecies fishery such as a demersal trawl fishery and measures to implement said research into fishing practices,
c) conducting research into the damage of commercial fishing in EEZ's to marine habitats;


8)Further requests for retrictions to be placed on deep sea dredging to prevent destruction of natural habitats, thereby protecting native sealife.