Garat, who will hold the position for one year, has been unanimously elected from the 24 members of this coalition and who represent fishing associations from the same number of countries.

 

The re-election of the Spaniard Garat, general secretary of the Spanish Fisheries Confederation (Cepesca) and president of the European employers' association Europêche, took place during the meeting held by ICFA yesterday in Rome, in which the main challenges of the fishing industry on a global scale.

 

Thus, during the meeting of the international coalition, common positions were discussed and adopted on the most outstanding international challenges for the fishing sector during 2023 that will be addressed in the next global forums. The meeting addressed, among others, the UN Climate Conference (UNFCCC COP27) and the nineteenth Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), both of which are held in November. At CITES, Panama's proposal to include different shark species, including the blue shark, in Appendix II of this agreement will be discussed.

 

 

Likewise, the next Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity of the United Nations, which will be held in December of this year, was discussed, and the International Congress on Marine Protected Areas (IMPACS) was highlighted, which will be held in Canada in February 2023. In this last regard, ICFA members discussed the management of the different Regional Fisheries Organizations (RFOs) in the face of growing pressure from different environmental groups to extend Marine Protected Areas (AMPs) to 30% of the waters in 2030. and the importance of taking into account the OECM (other effective conservation measures).

 

 

On the other hand, they have analyzed the positive results of the United Nations bottom fishing workshop, held last August in New York, where the progress made in the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the world was verified, above all, thanks the important work of the RFBs.

 

Likewise, ICFA also analyzed the evolution and expectations regarding the approval of a binding legal instrument within the framework of the United Nations on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) that, according to the world employers, could have a negative impact on fishing activities on the high seas, if the work carried out within the RFOs is not duly taken into account.

 

The world fisheries coalition has also discussed the effects of plastic pollution on the oceans and discussed the fundamental points of the Conference on Microplastics and Impact on Human Consumption. Finally, ICFA has also discussed the various initiatives developed in different regions to combat the effects of global warming and the use of blockchain technology applied to the traceability of fishery products.

 

According to Javier Garat, “we are proud to have the support of the member countries of ICFA to continue leading the world fishing activity and more so in the times that we are living. Fishing – Garat continues – is essential to maintain the food balance of the world population and also with very high quality proteins that are essential in any diet. For this reason, Garat ends by saying, it is really gratifying to see how fishermen in any part of the world are making an effort to continue carrying out this work, respecting and enriching the proposals to safeguard marine biodiversity in the face of permanent persecution by environmentalists and some governments to end with our activity, yes, without offering any alternative”.

 

Finally, throughout the day they will hold a meeting with senior representatives of FAO to review the main current international issues.

Source: BDI Comunica

[email protected]
www.seafood.media