Report | October 21, 2021
Priorities for the UK Joint Fisheries Statement
The sustainability of our living marine resources is a central and critical theme of the Fisheries Act 2020 and will need to form the foundation of the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS). Oceana firmly believes that wild capture fisheries and aquaculture must be managed sustainably, in a way that minimises the impact on our seas and enables fish populations and marine ecosystems to recover. Social and economic benefits will stem from sustainable and healthy marine ecosystems through sustainably managed fisheries resources and aquaculture practices.
The JFS is required to set out the policies of the fisheries policy authorities (Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Scottish Ministers, Welsh Ministers, and the Northern Ireland department) for achieving the eight fisheries objectives contained within the Fisheries Act 2020 (listed below2). As the UK’s primary fisheries policy, the JFS should also include actions to ensure the UK achieves its domestic and international legal commitments, including contributing to the net-zero emission targets3, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)4, Good Environmental Status (GES) under the Marine Strategy Regulations5; and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)6. It should further detail how fishing will be managed to meet requirements for nature conservation under the Marine Acts7,8,9 and the Habitats Regulations10 and contribute to the commitments made by the UK government under the Convention on Biological Diversity11 and the OSPAR Convention12, as well as policy commitments such as those included in the Leaders´ pledge for nature.
