Global Fishing Watch policy director, Courtney Farthing, commends the U.N. General Assembly’s move as ‘significant’ to achieving transparent fisheries management

NEW YORK, United States, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Fishing Watch, the leading international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea, has today welcomed the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of a resolution on sustainable fisheries, hailing it as a critical step in making transparency a “standard practice rather than an exception.” 

Adopted through consensus on Thursday by the 193 members of the U.N. policy-making body, the resolution follows inputs provided by Global Fishing Watch and marks an important milestone in the journey towards advancing transparency, vessel tracking and the identification of ultimate beneficial ownership in fisheries management.   

“The U.N. General Assembly’s move is a significant advancement in the global conversation on transparency in fisheries management,” said Courtney Farthing, Global Fishing Watch’s director of international policy. “Transparency lays the foundation for effective fisheries management and wider ocean governance —it’s only by seeing what’s really going on across the ocean that we can reduce and prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, ensure fair access to healthy fish stocks and protect marine biodiversity.” 

Each year, the U.N. General Assembly considers a resolution on sustainable fisheries under the agenda item “Oceans and the Law of the Sea.” The resolution represents a comprehensive account of activities relating to sustainable fisheries and is seen as a benchmark for international organizations developing their own activities in the sector.

For its part, the 2024 resolution includes specific provisions that elevate global expectations for sustainable and responsible fisheries management and recognizes transparency as essential for the effective management of fisheries.

In addition, the resolution highlights vessel tracking as a key enforcement tool and calls for a global study to enhance data-driven governance. It also prioritizes the identification of beneficial ownership of fishing vessels to address accountability gaps in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, urging the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its subcommittees to further examine this issue. Moreover, the resolution’s text also advocates for improved interoperability, encouraging States and international organizations to integrate transparent practices and promote data exchange in fisheries management. 

Global Fishing Watch has long urged Member States to underscore the importance of sharing information on beneficial ownership through the FAO’s Global Record and continues to support calls for a global study on vessel tracking to be advanced by the FAO, so that this data can be used to inform effective fisheries management. 

With continued support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Global Fishing Watch remains committed to advancing transparency as a principle of ocean governance and engaging member states of the U.N. to adopt policies that help foster more sustainable fishing practices. 

“The 2024 resolution is an important step in the right direction as it aligns the international community with the Global Fishing Watch vision of using data and transparency to achieve sustainable and accountable fisheries management,” Ms. Farthing continued.  “Our goal has long been to ensure that transparency becomes the standard — not the exception. And with marine resources under significant strain, it’s essential that both governments and industry prioritize transparent practices and are held accountable for their efforts to address illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.”resolution

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About Global Fishing Watch:

Global Fishing Watch is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing ocean governance through increased transparency of human activity at sea. By creating and publicly sharing map visualizations, data and analysis tools, we aim to enable scientific research and transform the way our ocean is managed. We believe human activity at sea should be public knowledge in order to safeguard the global ocean for the common good of all.

Andrew Zaganelli Giacalone
Global Fishing Watch
+49 1626570109
andrew.giacalone@globalfishingwatch.org