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Mr President,
New Zealand warmly associates itself with the statement presented by Papua New Guinea on behalf of the States of the Pacific Islands Forum, of which New Zealand is a member. New Zealand is happy once again to co-sponsor both the omnibus oceans resolution and the sustainable fisheries resolution. We would also like to add a few additional comments to the debate on our own behalf.
Mr President,
2006 will be a busy year for oceans and law of the sea work. States will tackle important cross-cutting oceans issues, such as marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, the review of the effectiveness of the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement, and the implementation of actions called for in last year’s General Assembly resolution in respect of vulnerable marine ecosystems.
In February next year, an Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group will meet to discuss complex issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. It is clear to us that more must be done to protect marine biodiversity in these areas. New Zealand looks forward to the chance to discuss, under General Assembly auspices, the full range of issues arising within the mandate of the Working Group, and to begin consideration of the mechanisms necessary to ensure proper protection, for the long term, of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
New Zealand reiterates its readiness to engage seriously with others to work through the relevant issues to enhance protection of the marine environment.
Mr President,
New Zealand is a strong supporter of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and welcomes wide participation in next year’s review conference to assess the effectiveness of the Agreement in securing the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks. New Zealand strongly encourages appropriate application of the Agreement’s general principles to discrete fish stocks in the high seas.
New Zealand warmly welcomes the renewal of the mandate for the Informal Consultative Process. We continue to believe that this forum provides an invaluable opportunity for integrated discussion of important oceans issues. It is a positive signal that States, while recognising the need to strengthen and improve the efficiency of the Consultative Process, are supportive of its role.
New Zealand is concerned about the negative impacts of illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, particularly the extent to which it undermines conservation and management measures adopted by RFMOs and, ultimately, the sustainability of fish stocks. We are pleased to see support for increased coordination and cooperation in important areas such as data collection, information-sharing, capacity-building and training. We hope these efforts will contribute to greater compliance with conservation and management measures.
Mr President,
New Zealand continues to believe that action to address the adverse impacts of fishing activities on vulnerable marine ecosystems is necessary and urgent.
Last year we noted that New Zealand was taking first steps towards the establishment of a new regional fisheries management organisation in the Tasman Sea area adjacent to New Zealand’s waters. This year we are pleased to advise that in February, New Zealand, with the support of Australia and Chile, will host the first intergovernmental meeting to discuss the establishment of a regional fisheries management organisation in the South Pacific to regulate those species not covered by an existing RFMO. We see this initiative as an important step in extending the geographical coverage of RFMOs and facilitating the adoption of robust conservation and management measures.
The Pacific Islands Forum addressed the need for management of deep sea bottom trawling at its Leaders’ meeting in October. Like all Members of the Pacific Islands Forum, New Zealand is seriously concerned about the need to protect biodiversity from adverse impacts of this activity. We will actively engage also in this regional context to ensure better protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems.
During next year’s General Assembly Member States will meet to review progress on action taken concerning the impacts of fishing on vulnerable marine ecosystems. Together with regional organisations, we as Member States must take the time to provide comprehensive information to the Secretariat on actions taken to regulate destructive fishing practices and bottom trawling that have adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems. Comprehensive reporting by States and regional organisations will ensure that next year’s review is meaningful and that future decisions on further measures are well-informed. We look forward to the first draft of the Secretary General’s report in July next year on actions taken by States.
Finally, Mr President, we thank the Secretary-General for his report, which is, as always, comprehensive and of great assistance to delegations, and the wider oceans constituency. We participated in the consideration of his report during the Informal Consultative Process earlier this year, which identified key issues of concern. As co-sponsor, we fully support the reflection of those concerns and the conclusions reached in both resolutions under this item.
Thank you Mr President.
