New set of international rules needed to protect health of fishing stocks, study shows
The global community should work to establish an array of new international legal rules to protect the health of fish stocks, new research says. Rather than one set of laws covering all possible maritime sustainability issues, there should be a range of different rules, each with its own distinct objectives and mandates.
A new study emphasizes the need for an array of international legal rules to safeguard fish stocks' health. Rather than a single set of regulations, various rules with distinct objectives and mandates are required. This is due to the current World Trade Organization (WTO) Fisheries Subsidies Agreement (FSA) not adequately addressing several crucial issues.
The FSA, approved by the WTO in 2022, aims to tackle illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, overexploitation of fishery stocks, and enhance the regulatory roles of Regional Fishery Management Organizations. It was created to incorporate fishery regulations into existing international regimes, despite the challenges stemming from international law's traditional territorial structures.
According to I-Ju Chen, the lead author from the University of Exeter, the FSA acknowledges the significance of environmental sustainability for economic stability, food security, and ocean health. As the first WTO treaty to focus on environmental sustainability, the FSA is an excellent illustration of how sustainability goals can be integrated into existing international law.
While the FSA is more suitable than other fishery regulations due to its targeted focus on the destructive impact of fishery subsidies on fishery stocks, it still has gaps. These include the incomplete definition of fishery subsidies, such as those intended for fuel, and an inefficient dispute settlement mechanism. Effective protection of fish stocks necessitates complementary international rules with unique mandates, coordinated with the existing law of the sea.
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