The Challenge: Our Oceans, Our Livelihood

The Ocean covers 70 percent of the world’s surface and provides for half of the oxygen in our atmosphere. This means that every second breath we take comes from the Ocean - yet laws governing its appropriate use are almost non-existent. Today’s maritime laws are outdated and have hardly developed in the past century.

Fisheries provide a vital source of livelihood, employment, recreation, trade and economic well-being for people throughout the world. Parliamentarians are a key missing piece towards sustainable success in saving our oceans. As the democratically-elected representatives of the people, parliamentarians have the voice, visibility and legislative power to bring about change.

To acknowledge the immense impact of the Ocean, the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) specifically aims to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

The Response: The Campaign for the Protection of the Oceans and Implementation of SDG 14

Parliamentary advocacy for the protection of the oceans is vital to ensure a sustainable future for all human kind. That is why in December 2016 in Dakar, Senegal, PGA’s Executive Committee reviewed the results of a feasibility study requested by PGA member Ms. Petra Bayr, MP (Austria), and determined to launch the PGA’s Oceans Campaign.

The goal of the campaign is to end impunity for crimes committed on and against the world’s oceans and their related human rights violations through increased transparency in the fisheries sector and seafood industry.

For this purpose, PGA encourages its members to take action to contribute to the implementation of SDG 14.4, 14.6, 14.b, and 14.c namely:

• 14.4. Effective regulation of harvesting and ending overfishing, IUU fishing and destructive fishing practices.
• 14.6. Prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to IUU fishing.
• 14.b. Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets.
• 14.c. Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources.

Depending on availability of resources, PGA members may also contribute to the implementation of SDG targets 14.1 and 14.5, namely:

• 14.1. Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution.
• 14.5. Conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.