Fisheries: EU Commissioner Borg welcomes consensus reached at UN General Assembly on tackling destructive fishing practices

At the end of the preparatory meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations, in New York, earlier today, Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, welcomed the consensus achieved by the Parties on tackling destructive fishing practices. Commissioner Borg said that the European Union had worked in a positive and constructive manner toward consensus-building on the most effective way to tackle fishing practices that have a destructive impact on fragile marine ecosystems. The Commissioner said that he was particularly pleased by the fact that the UN consensus marks a new and important step towards strengthening and making responsible Regional Fisheries Management Organisations in relation to the governance of the high seas. The EU approach focused on ensuring acceptance of both the need to apply the precautionary principle and for urgent action to put in place measures that are effective and have a realistic chance of being applied. This is, of course, an on-going process and the EU will continue to play a full part in ensuring its success. Commissioner Borg said that he was confident that the text agreed today would become a resolution when the General Assembly meets on 7 December. The European Commission will shortly table concrete proposals to the Council on the areas of EU responsibility in this domain.

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• UN FAO Committee on Fisheries: Outcome of meeting 9 March 2007 in Rome (12/3/2007)
• EU Commissioner Borg welcomes UN General Assembly call to ensure protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (8/12/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Oceans and Law of the Sea and Sustainable Fisheries (7/12/2006)
• European Commission welcomes successful outcome of November Fisheries Council (22/11/2006)
• Sustainability at the heart of new European fisheries fund (19/6/2006)