Ecology, EU – Baltic States, Foodstuff
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Friday, 29.03.2024, 16:10
COP25: Call for governments to end overfishing to counter climate crisis
"The
combination of overfishing and climate change is deadly for fish stocks and
marine ecosystems,'' said Dr Rashid Sumaila, Professor and Director
of the Fisheries Economics Research Unit at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and
Fisheries."The crisis in our fisheries and in our oceans and climate are
not mutually exclusive problems to be addressed separately; and it is
imperative that we move forward with holistic comprehensive solutions to
address them. Ending overfishing would strengthen the ocean, making it more
capable of withstanding climate change and restoring marine ecosystems - and it
can be done now".
A recent, groundbreaking new study, co-authored by Dr
Sumaila, demonstrates that ending overfishing - the practice of taking more
fish from the ocean than what scientists estimate can be naturally replenished
- is essential to build ocean resilience and can mitigate the impacts of climate
change [1].
"There can be no healthy planetary ecosystem without a healthy Ocean
ecosystem. To guarantee the latter, we must implement Sustainable Development Goal 14,'' said Ambassador Peter
Thomson, the UNSG's Special Envoy for the Ocean. "SDG14's fourth
target calls for an end to overfishing by 2020. Putting a stop to overfishing
is a very achievable target and one that governments should be implementing
with vigor. It's time to deliver on promises long-made." [2]
"A healthy ocean with abundant wildlife is capable of slowing the rate of
climate breakdown substantially," said Dr Monica Verbeek, Executive
Director at Seas At Risk. "To date, the most profound impact on the
marine environment has come from fishing -ending overfishing is a quick,
deliverable action which will restore fish populations, create more resilient
ocean ecosystems, decrease CO2 pollution and increase carbon capture, and
deliver more profitable fisheries and thriving coastal communities. EU
fisheries ministers committed to end overfishing when they signed up to the
reformed Common Fisheries Policy - and they must achieve this when they meet in
Brussels in ten days time by setting fishing limits within scientific
advice 2020." [3]
"Decades of relentless overexploitation have wrecked the ocean, mostly due
to destructive overfishing. Despite this, the problem remained a concern for
those with a direct interest in fish - fishing companies, ministers, fisheries
scientists. What is clear now, is that the impact of overfishing on ocean
ecosystems goes far beyond these few players, and we have to start treating the
ocean like it is the life-support system for all people that
it is," said Rebecca Hubbard, Programme Director for Our
Fish. "The EU Council recently unanimously stressed the need for immediate
action against increasing threats on the ocean - ending overfishing is that
emergency climate action - and EU member states can deliver it when they meet
on the 16th December." [4]
[1] Ending Overfishing Is Opportunity to Combat Climate Crisis – Report
https://our.fish/press/ending-overfishing-is-opportunity-to-combat-climate-crisis-report/
[2] Under UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.4, governments commit to "effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics, by 2020. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg14
[3] EU 2013. Common Fisheries Policy. REGULATION (EU) No 1380/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision 2004/585/EC
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32013R1380
[4] Brussels, 19 November 2019 (OR. en) 14249/19; General Secretariat of the Council; Council conclusions on Oceans and Seas https://www.consilium.europa.eu//media/41384/st14249-en19.pdf?utm_source=dsms-auto&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Oceans+and+seas+threatened+by+climate+change%3a+Council+adopts+conclusions
Our Fish works to ensure European member states implement the Common Fisheries Policy and achieve sustainable fish populations in European waters.
Seas At Risk is an umbrella organisation of over 30 environmental NGOs from across Europe that promotes ambitious policies for marine protection at European and international level.