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Madam Chairman
New Zealand fully supports the Pacific Islands Forum statement that has been delivered today. We endorse its key messages. As one of the fourteen members of the Forum, New Zealand calls on this assembly to have the wisdom and courage to take urgent action to protect the world’s oceans.
I would like to take this opportunity to briefly set out New Zealand’s position, as a responsible fishing nation, on bottom trawling on the high seas. We are committed to protecting high seas biodiversity and to managing the impact on marine ecosystems of destructive fishing practices.
First, may I say how much we appreciate the valuable work of the Secretary General in compiling his report on the impacts of fishing on vulnerable marine ecosystems. We have found the report useful in helping to inform our policy making on destructive fishing practices.
We see the report as a good summary of current scientific knowledge about the impacts of bottom trawling, and the extent of action that has already been taken by states – unilaterally within their EEZs, and regionally through fisheries management mechanisms.
The report is at the same time a call for action. It acknowledges that while a range of measures have been taken by states, it is less clear that they have been effective in protecting marine biodiversity and vulnerable ecosystems.
New Zealand is seeking a strong resolution on sustainable fisheries from this General Assembly; one that will carry moral force and encourage us as a global community to lift our responses to a new level.
Turning now to New Zealand’s policy goals, we will be advocating for three outcomes from UNGA61. First, an immediate interim prohibition on bottom trawling in high seas areas where no competent Regional Fisheries Management Organisation is in place or is under negotiation.
Secondly, where there are RFMOs already in place, we shall be looking for a commitment from them to adopt strong conservation measures to protect vulnerable areas.
Thirdly, if RFMOs do not act in time, there should be consequences. New Zealand would support future prohibitions in areas where RFMOs have not taken adequate action, or where that action has proven ineffective.
We see a clear complementarity between the moral force that the United Nations can provide, as a catalyst for action, and the technical mandate that RFMOs have to carry out that action. For this reason, we want as a first step to see RFMOs given a realistic opportunity to act to protect vulnerable high seas areas.
We are determined that this year, the General Assembly should send a clear and unequivocal message to RFMOs and to RFMO states; to get their systems in place so that they are ready and able to take decision action by 2008.
Where there are no RFMOs in existence, we want to see new ones established as a matter of high priority. We would hope that an immediate interim prohibition will also provide an incentive for new RFMOs to be created, extending the network.
New Zealand is playing its part, as co-host with Australia and Chile, in negotiations to establish a new South Pacific RFMO. The next meeting is in November, and we hope to see the negotiations come to a successful conclusion within the next two years.
We do not, however, consider that the existence of a process provides an exemption from taking action, and we will propose strong interim conservation measures to protect vulnerable areas in the South Pacific when we meet with other prospective members of the proposed RFMO next month.
New Zealand is taking a robust conservation stance. We are well aware that there are widely ranging views in this room on the nature and urgency of this problem and the best way to address it.
Despite our differences, it is in this United Nations context that the international community can collectively provide the political guidance necessary to reach agreement on practical measures to improve protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems. That is our overarching goal and we will work actively and cooperatively with all delegations here to achieve it during our deliberations
