Destructive fishing practices and the significant degradation of the ocean ecosystem has once again come under the global spotlight. 

The debate for a sustainable ocean ecosystem has been reignited due to the continuous seizing of fishing vessels by the US Coast Guard and the China Fishery Enforcement Command, and the recently concluded seventh China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) on ocean protection. 

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Channel News Asia reported that during the China-US SED, talks between China's State Councillor Yang Jiechi and US Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted the positive impact of the working relationship between enforcement partners. They also highlighted the need to crack down on illegal driftnet fishing on the high seas and unanimously agreed that more concrete communication is required for protecting fishery and for the sustainable development of oceans.

"The two countries should join hands in building a peaceful and safe maritime environment by strengthening the work relationship between their maritime enforcement agencies. Also, we should jointly maintain a fair and reasonable international maritime order through practical cooperation," said Yang.

China and the US began their partnership to curtail the practice of driftnet fishing in the high seas as per the UN General Assembly Moratorium 1992. This partnership gained momentum in 2005 when both countries sent their vessels together in formation for the first time. 

"China and the US have an important role to play in ocean protection through cooperation, which benefits the world," Kerry noted.

In 1989, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly discussed the alarming situation arising due to the over exploitation of living marine resources of the high seas by driftnets and the negative impact on this practice. Since then, overfishing and its consequences have increased manifold.

"Overfishing can not only reduce the stocks of the targeted and non- targeted species but also wreak havoc with the ecosystem. It also causes changes in the marine food web adversely affecting other species," said Angela Somma, Natural Resource Specialist of the National Marine Fisheries of the US Department of State.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 47- 50 percent of the major marine fish stocks or groups of stocks are fully exploited, 15- 18 percent are over exploited and 9-10 percent have been depleted or are recovering from depletion. Thus, close to 45 percent of the world's major fisheries are fully exploited.

"Along with our partner enforcement agencies, we are working to protect world fish stocks and trying to end illegal fishing practice," said T. Ostebo, commander of the 17^th district, US Department of Homeland Security.

The violations against which fishing vessels are mostly booked include 2.5 miles of the high seas driftnet, the failure to maintain sufficient records of catch and catch-related data and the absence of permit from an authorized body.

The UN Driftnet Report 2012 contained no update regarding the measures taken against large- scale high seas driftnet fishing. In addition, the legal sources for scientific data on high sea fishing gear disappeared. Only Japan continues to conduct research on the status of stocks of fishes in the North Pacific Ocean using small scale driftnets.

TagsChina-US, Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED), Ocean Protection, Ocean Ecosystem, Sustainable Ocean Ecosystem, Sustainable Development of Oceans, Illegal Driftnet Fishing