A/RES/56/13 not undermine the effectiveness of conservation and management measures taken in accordance with international law and adopted at the national, subregional, regional or global levels, Noting with satisfaction the imminent entry into force of the Agreement due to the fact that thirty States have ratified or acceded to it, and noting also that the entry into force of the Agreement entails responsibilities for States parties and other important considerations as outlined in the Agreement, Noting the obligation of all States, pursuant to the provisions of the Convention, to cooperate in the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks, Conscious of the need to promote and facilitate international cooperation, in particular at the regional and subregional levels, in order to ensure the conservation, management and long-term sustainability of the living marine resources of the world’s oceans and seas, consistent with the present resolution, and deploring the fact that the straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks in many parts of the world are overfished or subject to heavy and sparsely regulated fishing efforts, mainly as a result of, inter alia, unauthorized fishing, inadequate regulatory measures and excess fishing capacity, Conscious also that the Agreement requires States and entities to pursue cooperation in relation to straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks either directly or through appropriate subregional or regional fisheries management organizations or arrangements, taking into account the specific characteristics of the subregion or region, to ensure the effective conservation, management and longterm sustainability of such stocks, and to establish such organizations or arrangements where none exist, Recognizing the importance of the Agreement for the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks and the need for the regular consideration by the General Assembly and review by the parties to the Agreement pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement, once in force, of developments relating thereto, Welcoming the conclusion of negotiations, and the commencement of preparatory work, to establish new regional instruments, arrangements and organizations in several heretofore unmanaged fisheries, and noting the role of the Convention and the Agreement in the elaboration of these instruments, arrangements and organizations, Welcoming also the fact that a growing number of States and other entities, as well as regional and subregional fisheries management organizations and arrangements, have enacted legislation, established regulations, adopted conventions or taken other measures as steps towards implementation of the provisions of the Agreement, even before its entry into force, Taking into account that, in accordance with the Convention, the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Agreement, States fishing for straddling fish stocks or highly migratory fish stocks on the high seas, and relevant coastal States, shall give effect to their duty to cooperate by becoming members of the subregional or regional fisheries management organizations or participants in arrangements of that nature, or by agreeing to apply the conservation and management measures established by such organizations or arrangements, and that States having a real interest in the fisheries concerned may become members of such organizations or participants in such arrangements, 2