The Protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem by Regional Fisheries Management Organization

• Main Authors: Feng CHEN, Jianye TANG
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Chinese
• Published: Editorial Office of Ocean Development and Management 2022
• Subjects: marine ecosystem; regional fisheries management organization; deep-sea fisheries; biodiversity; international co-operation; Oceanography; GC1-1581; Antarctic; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/6f3d0d2da4754688ab9ce2d6454466b0

The vulnerable marine ecosystem (VME) faced the great threat from the fast development of bottom trawl fisheries since the 21st century, leading to the unsustainable development of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas and the reduction of marine biodiversity. In order to better achieve the goal of conserving marine fishery resources and protecting marine biodiversity, at the same time provide a reference for China in VME conservation and management of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas, this paper analyzed the series of measures about VME taken by 8 regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) and the feasibility of protecting the VME, put forward countermeasures and suggestions for the existing problems, and looked forward to China in RFMO about the VME protection. The results showed that the International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the high seas played an important guiding role in the practice of RFMOs in protecting VME. The measures taken by the RFMOs limit deep-sea fishing activities, but provided an important basis and guarantee for the protection of the VME and the conservation of marine fishery resources. In the future, RFMOs should strengthen information sharing and technical cooperation, develop VME distribution prediction technology, while actively conducting bilateral and multilateral cooperation in protecting marine biodiversity. China should further study and practice ecosystem-based fishery management methods, balance the relationship between conservation and exploitation, actively participate in international fishery management and VME protection and promote cooperation, and strengthen the comprehensive management of marine protected areas in Antarctic waters.