Coping with the extended vulnerability of marine ecosystems: implementing the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

The 1995 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, a landmark voluntary international instrument, seeks to promote change in the way in which fisheries and aquaculture are managed and utilized. Responsible behaviour and accountability are at the heart of the Code. It is intended to be implemented in a holistic and transparent manner by governments and stakeholders in all fisheries situations, irrespective of their locations and scale, and contribute, as a result, to the ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) and long-term sustainability. The article commences with discussion of the background to the Code, its scope and structure, the associated instruments that have been concluded within the Code's framework, related instruments and, importantly, the technical guidelines that are elaborated by FAO to support the Code's implementation. The next section addresses FAO's role in monitoring and reporting every second year to the FAO Committee on Fisheries on the Code's implementation. Information for this task is collected from governments, regional fishery bodies and non-government organizations by way of a self-assessment questionnaire. This section is followed by a brief discussion of the precautionary approach and the EAF that focuses on parts of the Code that are intended to implement the EAF. The Reykjavik Declaration and subsequent initiatives to deepen the EAF's implementation are also addressed. Stakeholder participation and the role of marine protected areas in promoting the EAF and sustainability are then considered along with the special requirements of developing countries. Some of FAO's activities that contribute to the implementation of the EAF are highlighted. The conclusion points to the need for governments and stakeholders to sustain ongoing activities to support the Code's implementation and for the international community to continue to provide technical and financial assistance to developing countries to ensure that they are not left behind in the implementation process.