Carmona: TT fish stocks at risk

Carmona was yesterday speaking at the opening of a two-day symposium, Enhancing Ocean Governance in the Caribbean Region, held at the UTT campus in Chaguaramas He said without co-operation among states to implement the UN agreement, TT will continue to witness the decline in fish stocks and loss of revenue to fisher-folk in the region, exacerbate insecurity and undermine rural communities which depend on the fishing industry.

“There are calls for the full and effective implementation of existing rules which flow from legally binding obligations under various international legal instruments to which all Caribbean countries are stake parties,” said Carmona.

“The primary one being the 1982 United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea. It is timely the attention is being drawn on the implementation of the outcome of the United Nations conference to support the implementation of sustainable development goal, conserve and sustainable use of the ocean and seas and marine resources sustainable development.” Carmona said the symposium is welcomed as it comes at a time when greater international tension is being focus on the development of new rules to improve ocean governance globally.

Ensuring the resources of TT’s oceans and seas are protected, Carmona said it must be conserved within and beyond national jurisdiction for the benefit of current and future generations.

However, he said critical work has to be done in order to achieve the objective of enhancing ocean governance.

“Political leadership and political will, must be demonstrated by all nations for example to ensure all stake parties to the convention honour the obligation to protect and preserve marine environment in keeping with the provisions of article 1982.” Carmona said the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has stated that 30 per cent of the global catch, amounting to 11 to 26 million tonnes and worth $10 trillion to $23 trillion, are the result of illegal fishing, and countries affected adversely are developing states and small island developing states.

“In the Caribbean, action must be taken in real terms, and I listen to the cry of the fisher- folks to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing from foreign long-line fishing vessels.” According to FAO, Carmona, said illegal fishing it is one of the threats to the sustainability of Caribbean fishery resources.