XN000022-1979-12-03 — Page 2

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1979

INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MEETING

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THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IS PIONEERING A UNIT TO IDENTIFY AND MONITOR COMMON STOCKS OF FISH THROUGH THE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION OF THE NATIONS CONCERNED, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR. TED NICHOLS, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

MR. NICHOLS WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (SCORRAD) OF THE INDO-PACIFIC FISHERY COMMISSION (IPFC), ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 30 DELEGATES AND MEMBER AGENCIES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBER.

HE SAID ONE COULD NOT SUBSCRIBE TO ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ATTEMPTS TO USE THE OCEANS OF THE WORLD AS A VAST SINK IN THE MISPLACED HOPE THAT SOMEHOW THEY COULD ABSORB POLLUTANTS AND RECTIFY MANK IND'S SELF-INFLICTED ERRORS OF JUDGEMENT.

+THUS, TO AN INCREASING EXTENT, ONE FINDS NOT ONLY CONSERVATION AND REPLENISHMENT OF FISH STOCKS BEING DEBATED ON INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES AGENDA, BUT ALSO PREVENTION OF POLLUTION OF THE SEAS AND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND OFTEN RESTORE INTRINSIC QUALITIES OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT,

THE

+WHAT IS, AT LAST, BECOMING BETTER KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD IS THAT MANY, PROBABLY MOST, MARINE STOCKS ARE SHARED RESOURCES MIGRATING ACROSS THE MAN-MADE BOUNDARIES OF TWO OR MORE 'EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONES'. THUS THE NEED FOR, AND IMPORTANCE OF, THE LAW OF THE SEA DEBATES, WHICH HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR SO MANY YEARS.

+NOW THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, HOWEVER, IN THE FORM OF BROAD INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, SAID MR. NICHOLS.

HE ADDED THAT ONE COULD NOT AGREE MUTUAL CONSERVATION AND UTILISATION POLICIES UNTIL THE RESOURCES WERE IDENTIFIED AND MONITORED, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS BEING A NEVER ENDING PROPOSITION

IF THE RESULTS ARE TO BE MEANINGFUL,+

+FORTUNATELY, WE WITHIN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FISHER JES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ARE IN THE HAPPY SITUATION OF BEING PIONEERS

IN EVOLVING WHAT IN FUTURE WILL BE KNOWN AS A 'NATURAL MANAGEMENT UNIT.'

+THAT IS EMBRACING A SUB-REGION OF COMMON STOCKS RATIONALLY FISHED THROUGH THE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION OF THE NATIONS CONCERNED.

+HERE LIES THE PATTERN AND SAFETY OF THE FUTURE,+ SAID MR. NICHOLS.

THE WEEK LONG MEETING IS BEING ATTENDED BY DELEGATES FROM BANGLADESH, FRANCE, INDONESIA, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA, MALAYSIA, NEW ZEALAND, THE PHILIPPINES, THAILAND, THE UNITED KINGDOM (HONG KONG) AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ASSOCIATE AGENCIES UNDER THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANISATION.

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