UNITED NATIONS

Resolution A/49/118

 FISHERIES BY-CATCH AND DISCARDS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE WORLD’S LIVING MARINE RESOURCES

(19 December 1994)

The General Assembly,

Recognizing that in relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,¹ States are called upon to take into consideration, when establishing conservation and management measures for target fisheries, the effects on associated or dependent species, taking into account the best scientific evidence available,

Recalling that the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro from 3 to 14 June 1992,² and the International Conference on Responsible Fishing, held at Cancun, Mexico, from

6 to 8 May 1992, ³/ agreed to promote the development and use of selective fishing gears and practices that minimized waste in the catch of target fish species and minimized by-catch of non-target fish and non-fish species,

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¹ 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.

² See Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3 - 14 June 1992 (A/CONF.151/26/Rev.1 (Vol. I and Vol. I/Corr.1, Vol. II, Vol. III and Vol. III/Corr.1)) (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II, chap. 17.

Recalling also that the World Fisheries Congress, held at Athens in 1992, discussed various aspects of the fisheries discard issue,

Noting the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on fisheries by-catch and discards in the development of an international code of conduct for responsible fishing and the fact that the United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks is considering provisions on fisheries by-catch and discards,

Recognizing the efforts that international organizations and members of the international community have made to reduce by-catch and discards in fishing operations and the need for continued international cooperation in this field,