• Resolution on Appeal for Support to Management of Fisheries Businesses in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2008
  • Resolution on
  • Appeal for Support to Management of Fisheries Businesses
  • We participants in the General Meeting of ICFO held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 1 December, 2008,
  • Recalling
  • - the Kyoto Declaration of the International Conference on the Sustainable Contribution of Fisheries to Food Security held in Kyoto
  • in December, 1995
  • - the Rome Declaration of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of FAO in Match, 1999,
  • - the Declaration of the World Food Summit: Five Years Later of FAO in June, 2002, and
  • - the Johannesburg Declaration of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September, 2002,
  • Recognizing that
  • - sustainable contribution of fisheries to food security is very important under the current yearly increasing trend of world population,
  • which is predicted to exceed 7 billion in 2015 and 8 billion in 2030,
  • Noting that
  • - fishery resources are exhaustible natural resources and the over-fishing will lead to depletion of the resources,
  • Also noting that
  • - fishery resources have features that are different from manufactured industrial products because, if the resources are depleted,
  • it becomes very difficult to restore them,
  • Recognizing that
  • - the essential point we need to keep in mind in relation to Rule¡¯s chair¡¯s text of 30 November, 2007 is to strike the balance between
  • the conservation of fisheries resources and the need to maintain the role of fisheries in supplying food for us all,
  • Recognizing that
  • - over-fishing will lead to price collapse of fish catch leading to collapse of fisheries and fishing communities,
  • Further recognizing that
  • - small-scale and small capital fisheries of both coastal and offshore fisheries account for major percentage of fishers in the world,
  • - small-scale and small capital fisheries contribute to local employment and playing multiple roles and functions,
  • In view of the fact that
  • - unless appropriate government support is provided to the small-scale fisheries sector, which comprises mostly fisheries
  • cooperative member fishers, there is every danger that fishing communities may collapse,
  • Resolved as follows:
  • 1. that the governments of ICFO member organizations should provide every possible support, financial and legal, to small-scale
  • fisheries sector in order to ensure sustainable development of fisheries and contribute to development of societies.
  • 2. In view of the fact that as long as appropriate fisheries management systems are in place and proper resource management
  • measures are implemented, there will not be the problem of over-fishing, fisheries subsidies should be allowed under the condition that in case illegal fishing is found, severe penalties are given.
  • 3. ICFO member organizations are determined to make their utmost to contribute to improvement of the well-being of the fishers of
  • respective countries through cooperation and efforts under the banner of ICA values and principles
  • Signed on 1 December, 2008
  • At Function Room 7
  • Second Floor,
  • Melia Hanoi Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam