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|  Another line of evidence on the state of inland resources comes from the status and trends of ecosystems. Generally, it can be inferred that aquatic ecosystems are in a state of decline throughout most of the world. How can this be reconciled with an apparent trend for increases in capture output from inland resources? One reason is a human-induced enriching of aquatic systems from agriculture and urban sources to produce more fish. Another is that that the combined effects of fishing and physical and chemical changes in inland waters have caused a shift to species that are more productive per unit of area, weight-wise, but may be of lesser economic value. Improved governance - with attention to aquatic ecosystem management such as habitat enhancement and stocking interventions - along with broad approaches to management, such as integrated watershed management, have also increased inland output.Since the 1950s, fisheries management has benefited from considerable development of institutions - the sets of rules used for the management of fisheries - and the processes and the organizations that develop and implement these rules.At an international level, the sets of rules are treaties, both multilateral and bilateral, and other non-binding instruments which are being used by states. Central to this is the 1982 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a comprehensive treaty covering all aspects of ocean governance, including fishing. An aspect of this Convention, relating to straddling and highly migratory stocks, was elaborated in the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement. In addition, there are a large number of bilateral agreements, and regional multilateral agreements, which form part of the international set of rules governing fisheries. | | | | The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing, adopted by FAO member states in 1995, compliments the UN Law of the Sea Convention by elaborating the evolving set of voluntary rules for the governance of fisheries. A range of other agreements not directly relating to fisheries, such as the 1992 Biological Diversity Convention, have an important bearing on the governance of fisheries. | | | | At a national level, these sets of rules may take a number of forms, such as national legislation, local regulations, or long standing customary arrangements.Institutional development during the last few decades has included the establishment of fishermen cooperatives, professional associations (including non-governmental organizations), regional (international) fishery bodies, regional (intra-national) fishery councils, the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). | | | | As well, a number of institutions developed for purposes other than fisheries have an influence on the conduct of fisheries (e.g. the international environmental conventions). Among the United Nations specialized agencies, fisheries is handled by FAO and its Committee on Fisheries (COFI) is a central institution in international fishery matters. However, a number of other specialized institutions established under the auspices of the UN undertake work relevant for fisheries. | | | | |
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1076 Topics - 5135 Related Knowledge - 2534 Members - 34 Editors |
