Ocean Conference - FAO statement in Partnership Dialogue 7

International law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and its principles, rights and obligations provide the basis for and are reflected in all FAO binding and non-binding instruments, such as the FAO Compliance Agreement to ensure that States see to it that vessels flying their flags adhere to international conservation and management measures, the Port State Measures Agreement to Prevent Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, the International Plan of Action (IPOA) for the Conservation and Management of Sharks; the IPOA on fishing capacity; the IPOA for Reducing Incidental Catches of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries; the IPOA International Plan of Action for Preventing Deterring and Eliminating IUU Fishing; the International Guidelines on DeepSea Fisheries; the Guidelines on Small Scale Fisheries and the International Guidelines on Flag State Performance to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing.

 

The subject of this partnership dialogue, is embedded in one of the main outcomes of FAO’s five Strategic Objective – making agriculture, forestry and fisheries (including aquaculture) more sustainable – which advocates the implementation of international policies (including international law) and guidelines for highly productive and sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries by:

 

1. ensuring that international commitments on sustainable agriculture (including fisheries) are backed by national laws and policies
2. strongly advocating for country adherence to international agreements and partnerships that promote productive and sustainable agriculture; and,
3. supporting the implementation of national laws and policies (that reflect international commitments) on sustainable agriculture (including fisheries).

 

FAO has divided the delivery of the three output areas referred to by ensuring: firstly, that that, both binding and non-binding, international instruments, established under the auspices of FAO; and, secondly international instruments established outside of FAO but which FAO Members can contribute to, are reflected in national policy, legal and institutional frameworks; and thirdly, by ensuring that support is provided to ensuring that both FAO and non FAO international instruments are implemented.

 

In order to ensure that established targets of its Strategic Framework are achieved, and progress is made to that end, FAO established a robust monitoring and evaluation mechanism which complements existing mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation systems such as the one established for monitoring the implementation of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. These M & E systems will be used to monitor progress in implementation of  SDG 14.6.1 (Progress by countries in the degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) , SDG 14.b.1 (Progress by countries in adopting and implementing a legal, regulatory, policy and institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fisheries) and SDG 14.c.1 (Enhance conservation and sustainable use of Oceans through implementation of international law as reflected UNCLOS and related instruments), including through national legal, policy and institutional frameworks.

 

With regard to target 14.c.1, FAO, within the context of the UN Oceans Partnership, is supporting the development of a methodology which will ensure the collation of relevant data and monitoring of progress in the implementation of international law as reflected in UNCLOS and related instruments.

 

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

 

FAO will continue to partner with States, Global and regional intergovernmental Organizations, Civil Society Organizations and Non-governmental organizations, and welcomes new partners, to ensure effective implementation of SDG 14, including through F-A-O programmes and projects - worth at least 40 million US dollars - to provide technical assistance to States to implement international law through strengthened national policy, legal and institutional frameworks. These assistance is channeled through, among others:

 

1. FAO’s technical Cooperation Programme (TCP);
2. Multilateral and Government-to-Government Cooperation Programmes (GCP) and projects;
3. FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP);
4. Multilateral and Government-to-Government Cooperation Programmes and projects;
5. Targeted global and regional programmes and projects such as:
   1. The GEF funded Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Programme;
   2. The FAO and UNDP implemented project called the Regional Oceanic Project for the Pacific SIDS to implement Global and Regional Oceanic Fisheries Conventions and Related Instruments; and            
   3. The recent Global Programme on Implementation of the Port State Measures Agreement supported by the Governments of Norway, Sweden, the United States of America and the Republic of Korea.

 

FAO’s commitment is also to participate and welcome partnerships that are strategic, targeted and will result in tangible outcomes, to implement in international law as reflected in UNCLOS and related instruments, including emerging ones such as the proposed BBNJ instrument- and that such partnerships will generate new commitments including strategic voluntary commitments.

 

I thank you.