The 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA) is an implementing agreement to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that aims at ensuring the long-term conservation and sustainable use of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks. It provides an international legally binding framework for the conservation and management of the world’s most commercially significant high seas fish stocks, including through regional fisheries management organizations. The full and effective implementation of this Agreement is thus vital to achieving the fisheries-related commitments undertaken in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The seminar will serve to inform participants about the international legal framework for sustainable fisheries in UNCLOS and UNFSA, including the role of flag States, coastal States and regional fisheries management organizations. Detailed information will also beprovided regarding the various fisheries related processes at United Nations Headquarters, including the Informal Consultations of States Parties to the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, the Review Conference on the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement and the informal consultations on the draft General Assembly resolution on sustainable fisheries.