A/RES/52/29
Page 2
establishment of regulations, to ensure that vessels flying their flags do not conduct unauthorized fishing
within areas under the national jurisdiction of other States,
Recalling the provisions of article 5 of the Agreement, which sets out the general principles to which
States are committed in order to conserve and manage such stocks,
Noting that the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, adopted by the Conference of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on 31 October 1995, sets out principles and global standards
of behaviour for responsible practices to conserve, manage and develop fisheries, including guidelines for
fishing on the high seas and in areas under the national jurisdiction of other States, and on fishing gear
selectivity and practices, with the aim of reducing by-catch and discards,
Expressing deep concern at the detrimental impact of unauthorized fishing in areas under national
jurisdiction, where the overwhelming proportion of the global fish catch is harvested, on the sustainable
development of the world's fishery resources and on the food security and economies of many States,
particularly developing States,
Reaffirming once again the rights and duties of coastal States to ensure proper conservation and
management measures with respect to the living resources in areas under their national jurisdiction, in
accordance with international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,2
Recalling that Agenda 21,3 adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development,
calls upon States to take effective action, consistent with international law, to deter reflagging of vessels by
their nationals as a means of avoiding compliance with applicable conservation and management rules for
fishing vessels on the high seas,
Recognizing the importance of the Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation
and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas, adopted by the Conference of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in November 1993, to the conservation and management of
fisheries resources on the high seas,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on large-scale pelagic drift-net fishing and its impact
on the living marine resources of the world's oceans and seas, unauthorized fishing in zones of national
jurisdiction and its impact on the living marine resources of the world's oceans and seas, and fisheries
by-catch and discards and their impact on the sustainable use of the world's living marine resources,4
Taking note also of the initiatives undertaken in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations relating to the incidental catch of seabirds, the conservation and management of sharks and the
management of fishing capacity,
2
Official Records of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, vol. XVII (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.84.V.3), document A/CONF.62/122.
3
Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3-14 June
1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the
Conference, resolution 1, annex II.
4
A/52/555.
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