What role do international agreements play in the adoption of harvest strategies?

November 23, 2024

AuthorSara Pipernos
Program Associate, International Fisheries

International agreements play a critical role in the adoption of harvest strategies by establishing the legal and regulatory frameworks that encourage or require their use. Key global instruments, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA), call for the application of precautionary and ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management, both of which are supported by the development and implementation of harvest strategies.

The UNFSA and FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries emphasize using reference points to trigger management responses—the essence of harvest strategies. Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) are uniquely positioned to operationalize these international commitments by developing harvest strategies. Many RFMOs have already made progress in advancing these tools to sustainably manage fish stocks.

To explore how far RFMOs have come, check out these examples of adopted harvest strategies: https://harveststrategies.org/case-studies-of-harvest-strategies-in-global-fisheries/rfmo-hs-management-measures/