Minister of Environment Guro Fjellanger

High-level segment of the 7th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development

New York, 22 April 1999

Mr. Chairman,

We are now approaching the end of a century where the pressure on living resources has been greater than ever before. Today, our concern is the future health and well-being of oceans and seas of such immense importance to the people of the world.

As presented in the Secretary-General's report, we are facing serious challenges. Our efforts today should point out the direction of our common endeavors.

To facilitate concrete action, priorities have to be identified. Norway would like to focus on the practice of irresponsible and unregulated fishing and on marine pollution from land-based sources.

As regards fisheries issues, important instruments are already in place. These include the FAO Compliance Agreement and the UN Agreement on Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. We strongly urge other nations to ratify these agreements and thereby contribute to their early entry into force. The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the follow-up agreements such as the international Plan of Action for the Management of Fish Capacity are other important instruments. The CSD should give strong support to this kind of normative work in the FAO, setting standards for future management of oceans and living marine resources. All nations should be urged to implement these globally agreed principles nationally and regionally. It is not the lack of agreements that endangers the oceans; it is the lack of local and regional implementation of existing instruments.

We must agree to combat unregulated fisheries. In this context the use of flags of convenience is of particular concern. No nation should allow its flag to be used as a flag of convenience. In accordance with the FAO Compliance Agreement, Norway has adopted regulations that inter alia require a special permit for fishing by Norwegian flagged vessels on the high seas. Furthermore, Norway does not grant licenses to fish in Norwegian waters to vessels that have been involved in unregulated fishing on the high seas, and has established a list of vessels known to have engaged in such activities. This limits the possibilities for second hand sales and has proven an effective measure to counteract unregulated fisheries. Norway will participate actively in FAOs ongoing work to create standards to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. CSD should encourage FAO to give priority to this work.

Two months ago, Norway banned the use of fishing gear that may harm the sea floor in an area of the North Sea where the world's largest deep sea Coral Reef is situated. We have thus used existing national fisheries laws to implement principles of the Biodiversity Convention.

In this context, I would like to mention the Program of Work on Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity that has been adopted to assist the implementation of the Jakarta Mandate. As a binding measure this program will play an important role in the further work on conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biological diversity.

The health of our oceans depends heavily on the prevention of pollution from land-based sources. Norway fully supports the Global Plan of Action that has been adopted. Again, what is needed is our common effort implement it on regional and national levels. The establishment of the Hague coordination office and the clearing-house mechanism is a step in the right direction. Norway also welcomes the important work to start a global convention on POPs.

The UNEP’s Regional Seas Programme should be revitalized and strengthened. Regional seas organisations should cooperate to share experiences, in line with the conclusions of the 20th session of the UNEP Governing Council.

I would like to draw your attention to the cooperation between states surrounding the North Sea. This is an example of a successful cooperation aiming at sustainable management of an ecosystem and its living resources. Good progress has been made since the start 15 years ago within the framework of the regional effort to reduce pollution and protect the ecosystems of the North Sea.

Fisheries and environmental management need to be better integrated. CSD should therefore call upon all regional fishing organisations, as well as regional seas environment protection organisations, to cooperate in the development of such integration based on an ecosystem approach.

Our common efforts for the sustainable use of our oceans should continue on a global level, also beyond this meeting. Norway supports the idea that CSD 7 should be followed up by strengthening the UN’s ability to conduct a comprehensive and thorough debate on ocean issues. However, we should avoid creating new institutions as this would hardly further the process.

Our knowledge of the risks facing our oceans is vast. The challenge is to build a collective commitment to sustainable oceans management of corresponding magnitude. Only such a strong resolve can secure the future of our oceans.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.