Vella calls for international effort to manage world’s fisheries

European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella is taking his message of improved fisheries management to Chile this week, attending the Our Ocean conference in Valparaiso, which takes place today and tomorrow.

“It gives me a chance to illustrate the EU’s commitment to improving ocean governance,” Vella wrote in an op-ed submitted to SeafoodSource.

In his statement Vella spoke only of the responsibility the world’s governments have to manage the world’s marine resources. Vella cited several examples of South American governments taking that responsibility, including Chile’s proposal for a new marine preserve consisting of thousands of square miles, and a whale and dolphin sanctuary the government of Uruguay created.

But Vella also said international agreements are crucial to protecting fisheries and the environment. “Numerous as they may be, individual national initiatives are not enough,” he wrote. “Collective international action is required too, in particular as 60 percent of our oceans are beyond national jurisdiction.”

Vella noted the EU controls 40 percent of the world’s fishing fleets, and that his government “stands ready” to do its part, but “we cannot do this alone, nor can anybody else. What we can do is listen to one another, learn from one another, and decide how best to move forward, together.”

Click “Next” below to read the commissioner’s statement in its entirety.

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