A/RES/64/72
Nations in the implementation and further development of the Fisheries Resources
Monitoring System initiative;
13. Reaffirms paragraph 10 of resolution 61/105 of 8 December 2006, and
calls upon States, including through regional fisheries management organizations or
arrangements, to urgently adopt measures to fully implement the International Plan
of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks7 for directed and nondirected shark fisheries, based on the best available scientific information, through,
inter alia, limits on catch or fishing effort, by requiring that vessels flying their flag
collect and regularly report data on shark catches, including species-specific data,
discards and landings, undertaking, including through international cooperation,
comprehensive stock assessments of sharks, reducing shark by-catch and by-catch
mortality, and, where scientific information is uncertain or inadequate, not
increasing fishing effort in directed shark fisheries until measures have been
established to ensure the long-term conservation, management and sustainable use
of shark stocks and to prevent further declines of vulnerable or threatened shark
stocks;
14. Calls upon States to take immediate and concerted action to improve the
implementation of and compliance with existing regional fisheries management
organization or arrangement and national measures that regulate shark fisheries, in
particular those measures which prohibit or restrict fisheries conducted solely for
the purpose of harvesting shark fins, and, where necessary, to consider taking other
measures, as appropriate, such as requiring that all sharks be landed with each fin
naturally attached;
15. Calls upon regional fisheries management organizations with the
competence to regulate highly migratory species to strengthen or establish
precautionary, science-based conservation and management measures, as
appropriate, for sharks taken in fisheries within their convention areas consistent
with the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of
Sharks, taking into account the Course of Actions adopted at the second joint
meeting of tuna regional fisheries management organizations and arrangements,
held in San Sebastian, Spain, from 29 June to 3 July 2009;
16. Reiterates its request to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations to prepare a report containing a comprehensive analysis of the
implementation of the International Plan of Action for the Conservation and
Management of Sharks, as well as progress in implementing paragraph 11 of
General Assembly resolution 62/177 of 18 December 2007;
17. Urges States to eliminate barriers to trade in fish and fisheries products
which are not consistent with their rights and obligations under the World Trade
Organization agreements, taking into account the importance of the trade in fish and
fisheries products, particularly for developing countries;
18. Urges States and relevant international and national organizations to
provide for the participation of small-scale fishery stakeholders in related policy
development and fisheries management strategies in order to achieve long-term
sustainability for such fisheries, consistent with the duty to ensure the proper
conservation and management of fisheries resources;
7