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WWF Urges Top Fishing Nations To Honour UN Treaty

Coast September 4th, 1997

St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada -- WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature today urged the world's top fishing nations -- including Canada -- to become full parties to a 1995 UN agreement that promotes precautionary measures to protect the world's imperilled marine fisheries

Despite nearly two years since the adoption of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, 16 out of the top 20 fishing nations have failed to ratify the landmark treaty.

The world's top 20 fishing nations are responsible for more than 80% of the global catch. To date, only four have signed and ratified the treaty, which needs 30 countries to accede for it to enter into force. Canada has signed the treaty, but not ratified it.

At the Summit of the Seas conference being held here to mark the 500th anniversary of John Cabot's arrival, Michael Sutton, Director of WWF's Endangered Seas Campaign said: *It is time that all fishing nations take responsibility for reversing the decline of marine fisheries by becoming parties to this important agreement. Canada could best pay tribute to Cabot's legacy by ratifying the treaty promptly, before the end of the year."

Overfishing is widely recognized as one of the main threats to our oceans. Marine fishes have never been in greater demand as seafood, nor more threatened as ocean wildlife. With population increase, economic empowerment and dietary consciousness on the rise, marine fish are expected to be in more demand than ever before.

"The recent collapse of Atlantic Canada's ground fish stocks is unfortunately not unique," said Mr Sutton. "Unless international norms for high seas fishing are adopted by all nations, marine fish will continue to be depleted one species after another."

WWF believes that all, particularly the major fishing nations, should support the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, which sets new standards for managing these limited wild resources in a sustainable manner.

For more information, please contact Michael Sutton at +1 709 739 6404 or Someshwar Singh at +41 22 364 9553.

Note to editors:
Top fishing nations that have not signed but who should now become parties by acceding: Peru, Chile, India, Thailand, North Korea, Mexico and Vietnam.

Top 20 fishing nations that have signed but who need to ratify to become parties: China (PRC), Japan, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Denmark, Spain, Canada and Bangladesh.

Top fishing nations that have signed and ratified: US, Russian Federation, Norway and Iceland.