In preparation for the high-level United Nations Oceans Conference, an Oceans Forum on trade-related aspects of Sustainable Development Goal 14, will take place in Geneva, from 21 - 22 March 2017, co-organized by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UN Environment and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Secretariat, the Commonwealth Secretariat (COMSEC) and International Ocean Institute (IOI).
The focus of the Forum will be on policy and regulatory options for meeting trade-related targets 14.4, 14.6 and 14.b related to illegal unregulated or under-reported fishing, fishing subsidies and market access, which all have major implications for the environment, food security and employment. Through the event, participants will be sharing global, regional and cross-country experiences and lessons, exploring partnerships and designing more effective support measures in national and regional economic strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans.
The forum will also explore options to implement the UNCTAD-FAO-UN Environment Statement on Fisheries Subsidies, which is supported by 91 countries, 4 IGOs and more than 15 civil society organizations.
SDG 14
Under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, three targets explicitly focus on the trade-related aspects of fisheries:
Target 14.4: By 2020, 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;
Target 14.6: By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation;
Target 14.b: Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets.
Results of the Oceans Forum
The results and recommendations of the Forum will be directly channelled to both the United Nations and WTO processes. In 2017, there will be two landmark conferences that could have significant bearing in helping the international community advance these targets. These are:
- The High Level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (New York, June 2017), co-hosted by the Governments of Fiji and Sweden;
- The 11th WTO Ministerial Conference (Buenos Aires, December 2017).
Background:
The fisheries sector represents one of the oldest economic activities carried out by the human race and remains one of the most relevant for many developing countries. Indeed, fisheries often account for between 5 and 10 per cent of GDP and exports for many Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Globally, fish is the most traded animal protein commodity and is a particularly important source of nutrition and protein for coastal populations, as well as being fundamental to their livelihoods. Despite this, we see today that around 31.4% of fish stocks are estimated as fished at biologically unsustainable levels, a proportion that has been steadily increasing over recent decades. Recognized drivers of this trend are overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, the existence of harmful incentives including certain types of fisheries subsidies, and the impacts of climate change.
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