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The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN focuses on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture production to meet the needs of the world's population. The Department's goals include creating jobs to alleviate poverty, bolstering international trade and economies, and providing a sustainable fish supply. The Department has also created a Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
Within this Code of Conduct, several International Plans of Action (IPOAs), which would apply to "all States and entities and to all fishers," have been suggested. Specifically, for the management of fishing capacity, "States should take measures to prevent or eliminate excess fishing capacity and should ensure that levels of fishing effort are commensurate with sustainable use of fishery resources." Possible solutions in this case include well-defined property rights for international waters, "incentive blocking measures," such as fishing seasons and closed areas, and "incentive adjusting measures," which would include requiring a fishing license and quotas. The suggested action to be taken currently involves assessing and monitoring fishing capacity as well as preparing and implementing national plans. Immediate action would focus on major international fisheries requiring urgent attention. Considerations would include the needs of specific countries. International compliance is the main difficulty recognized with the actual implementation of these proposals. Unfortunately, no specific plans have been on proposed, hence the need for reform.
IPOA Sharks
IPOA
The UN Environmental Program focuses on the research and science of the issue. Though the UNEP is not currently heading any projects on the oceans, they are one of the UN organizations supporting GESAMP.
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