The Endangered Seas Campaign goal is to reverse
the effects of unsustainable fishing on marine fishes
and the ocean ecosystem on which they depend. In
order to achieve this goal, three new targets have
been agreed:
- To establish effective no-fishing zones in at least 5
globally-important marine ecoregions threatened by
fishing by 2001.
- To reduce fisheries subsidies in the European Union
by 25 percent by 2001.
- To ensure that at least 10 fisheries are independently
certified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
standards by 2001.
These new targets are designed to support the
campaign's earlier work on species recovery and
destructive fishing practices, and at the same time
address the economic concerns contributing to
overfishing.
The campaign will work to establish no-fishing zones
--sometimes called no-take zones or fisheries
reserves --in at least 5 areas of high marine
biodiversity, which are threatened by overfishing or
destructive fishing. No-fishing zones are rapidly
becoming a popular tool for protecting marine fish and
their environment, and they can be established either
as part of a marine protected area or as part of a
fishery management strategy.
Government subsidies to the fishing sector total tens
of billions of dollars each year and no ocean on earth
escapes the affects of subsidized European fishing.
Under target two, the campaign will specifically focus
on the EU, which spends nearly half its annual
fisheries budget on subsidies. This in turn should
lessen the impact on fisheries in developing countries
where EU fleets fish.
Under target three, the campaign plans to promote
the development of the now independent MSC and
see that it becomes a real market alternative for
fishers and consumers alike. Participation by WWF
staff is fish-producing countries and in key markets
(OECD countries) will be essential to ensure that the
certification process remains defensible and robust
and it is implemented as quickly as possible. In
addition, the campaign will continue to support MSC
outreach in the developing world and champion
certification for sustainable fisheries.