[GA, passed] - Reducing Bycatch

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The World Assembly,

Pleased with previous resolutions regulating the fishing industry from undue environmental impact, including GA 199 "Sustainable Fishing Act",

Aware, however, of the harmful impact of bycatch on both consumers and marine wildlife, which extends beyond the scope of GA 199, including the seep into areas such as public health and safety, consumer knowledge, and ensuring that nations maintain knowledge of what their fisheries are catching beyond their intended product,

Believing that, because overfishing and bycatch does not stay within any specific border, the World Assembly ought to negate these impacts to the best of its ability,

Hereby,

1. Defines "bycatch" as the unintentional capture of non-target marine creatures during fishing activities aimed at specific target species, that is not followed by the return of the creature to its ecological habitat intact and without being maimed or killed in the process;
   
   
2. Mandates that each member nation shall perform impartial research on the various species of marine life and marine ecologies within and surrounding their jurisdictions, especially as it relates to rates of bycatch and maximum bycatch permissible without causing negative impacts in the areas of environmental stability, public health, and any other relevant aspects;
   
   
3. Mandates that each member nation shall institute regulations on the maximum allowable bycatch based on the research outlined in clause two, and ensure that no entity within their jurisdiction shall exceed these regulations;
   
   
4. Mandates that packages of processed seafood within member nations have the projected amount of bycatch included in the product as a result of their specific fishing practices and the location in which they fish;
   
   
5. Prohibits member-nations or entities therein from engaging in the import or purchase of seafood or other ocean-based products from nations, corporations, or other entities which have not established or do not enforce scientifically-informed bycatch limits, consistent with the mandates surrounding clauses two, three, and four;
   
   
6. Mandates that nations release national and local data from within its jurisdiction surrounding bycatch and the rates thereof to the World Assembly Science Programe, who shall then make that information public;
   
   
7. Encourages member nations to invest in research into bycatch-prevention devices, gear, and techniques, and to share these technological innovations and information with any member nations which may find a use for them.

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Note: Only votes from TNP WA nations, NPA personnel, and those on NPA deployments will be counted. If you do not meet these requirements, please add (non-WA) or something of that effect to your vote. If you are on an NPA deployment without being formally registered as an NPA member, name your deployed nation in your vote.

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Voting Instructions:

• Vote For if you want the Delegate to vote For the resolution.
• Vote Against if you want the Delegate to vote Against the resolution.
• Vote Abstain if you want the Delegate to abstain from voting on this resolution.
• Vote Present if you are personally abstaining from this vote.

Detailed opinions with your vote are appreciated and encouraged!

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Overview
This resolution proposal focuses on "bycatch" in fishing, which it defines very specifically (and we quote) "the unintentional capture of non-target marine creatures during fishing aimed at specific target species, that is not followed by the return of the creature to its ecological habitat intact and without being maimed or killed in the process". The proposal puts in place certain measures to restrain and avoid bycatch.

Recommendation
This is a fairly low-scope, precise legislation which carefully addresses a specific problem and helps in biodiversity and the health of various marine lifeforms. Although our preferences would be for broader resolutions that consolidate several issues into a single resolution (such as combining several fishing related resolutions into a single one), we have no principled objection towards having a specific resolution to resolve a very specific issue.

For the above reasons, the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs recommends a vote For the at-vote GA resolution, "Reducing Bycatch".

For

For

For

Aye

For.

For

This is some low-scope, precise legislation which carefully addresses a specific problem. I am therefore for this proposal.

For

For

For