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Inte
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Depletion of Marine Life
Lisa Mead
earthlawyers.org
www.marinet.org.uk
Case Presenter
Part 1
Lack of Integrated Ocean Care and Governance
New Case Proposal - Depletion of Marine Life
Part 2Extensive overfishing
New Case Proposal - Depletion of Marine Life
Part 3Inadequacy of marine conservation efforts
Part 1Lack of Integrated Ocean Care and Governance
New Case Proposal - Depletion of Marine Life
Deep Sea Mining
Pollution from plastics & other toxins
Sewage and agricultural run-off
Birds & mammals killed by nets & lines
Fish farms affect native species
Coral reefs destroyed by fishing gear
Lack of Integrated Ocean Care and Governance
Proliferation of:-• Declarations• Recommendations• Treaties• Resolutions
Lack of Integrated Ocean Care and Governance
500 international agreements on the environment, containing:-
• Targets• Pledges• Protocols
To what effect??
Lack of Integrated Ocean Care and Governance
• Ecosystems continue to decline
• Ocean acidification gets worse
• Climate change accelerates
Regional Fisheries Management Organisations
Regional Fisheries Management Organisations
67% of RFMO managed commercial fish stocks were recorded as depleted or overfished in 2012
Lack of Ocean Care & Governance:Violations of the Universal Declaration of
the Rights of Mother Earth?
• The right to maintain its identity and integrity as a distinct, self-regulating and interrelated being
• The right to life and to exist
• The right to continue vital cycles and processes free from human disruption
Part 2Extensive overfishing
New Case Proposal - Depletion of Marine Life
Common Fisheries Policy 2014
Agreed that Total Allowable Catch (TAC) should accord with scientific advice so fish stocks can be rebuilt
New Case Proposal - Depletion of Marine Life
Northern European Fish:
Total Allowable Catch (TAC) set for 96 fish stocks (28 species).
60 of these 96 stocks were given catch levels higher than scientists had advised
EU Common Fisheries Policy 2014
Baltic Sea Fish (10 stocks):
In 2015: 5 out of 10 stocks were given catch levels higher than scientists had advised
EU Common Fisheries Policy 2014
In 2016: 8 out of 10 stocks were given catch levels higher than scientists had advised
Deep Sea Fish (16 stocks governed by scientific advice):
11 of these 16 stocks were given catch levels higher than scientists had advised
EU Common Fisheries Policy 2014
Ministers acting illegally under EU Lawandin violation of Article 2 of U.D. Rights of Mother Earth – that is, the right to life and to exist, and the right of these fish species to continue their vital cycles and processes free from human disruptions
EU Common Fisheries Policy 2014
Part 3 Inadequacy of marine conservation efforts
New Case Proposal - Depletion of Marine Life
Darwin Mounds Cold Water Coral Reef, Scotland
The EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires that:
“Populations of all commercially exploited fish and shellfish are within safe biological limits, exhibiting a population age and size distribution that is indicative of a healthy stock.”
Ref. Marine Strategy Framework Directive, 2008/56/EC, Annex 1, paragraph 3.
Blue Whiting
Mackerel
Sprat Cod
Pollack
Dab & Rounder
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
TAC agreed by Min-isters (Tonnes)Scientific Advice (Tonnes)
