Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks

Adopted on 4 August 1995 by the United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 11 December 2001, in accordance with article 40 (1).

TEXT: Document A/CONF.164/37; and depositary notification C.N.99.1996.TREATIES-4 of 7 April 1996 (procès-verbal of rectification of the authentic Arabic text).

STATUS of the Fish Stocks Agreement

Note: The above Agreement was adopted on 4 August 1995 at New York, by the United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. In accordance with its article 37, the Agreement was open for signature at United Nations Headquarters, from 4 December 1995 until and including 4 December 1996 by all States and the other entities referred to in article 305 (1) (a), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982.

Note: Official information regarding the declarations and statements under articles 30 and 47 of the 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement and texts of these declarations and statements are available at the web site of the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations.

 

Declarations

Relevant articles of the Agreement:

Article 30

Procedures for the settlement of disputes

  1. The provisions relating to the settlement of disputes set out in Part XV of the Convention apply mutatis mutandis to any dispute between States Parties to this Agreement concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement, whether or not they are also Parties to the Convention.
  2. The provisions relating to the settlement of disputes set out in Part XV of the Convention apply mutatis mutandis to any dispute between States Parties to this Agreement concerning the interpretation or application of a subregional, regional or global fisheries agreement relating to straddling fish stocks or highly migratory fish stocks to which they are parties, including any dispute concerning the conservation and management of such stocks, whether or not they are also Parties to the Convention.
  3. Any procedure accepted by a State Party to this Agreement and the Convention pursuant to article 287 of the Convention shall apply to the settlement of disputes under this Part, unless that State Party, when signing, ratifying or acceding to this Agreement, or at any time thereafter, has accepted another procedure pursuant to article 287 for the settlement of disputes under this Part.
  4. A State Party to this Agreement which is not a Party to the Convention, when signing, ratifying or acceding to this Agreement, or at any time thereafter, shall be free to choose, by means of a written declaration, one or more of the means set out in article 287, paragraph 1, of the Convention for the settlement of disputes under this Part. Article 287 shall apply to such a declaration, as well as to any dispute to which such State is a party which is not covered by a declaration in force. For the purposes of conciliation and arbitration in accordance with Annexes V, VII and VIII to the Convention, such State shall be entitled to nominate conciliators, arbitrators and experts to be included in the lists referred to in Annex V, article 2, Annex VII, article 2, and Annex VIII, article 2, for the settlement of disputes under this Part. 5. Any court or tribunal to which a dispute has been submitted under this Part shall apply the relevant provisions of the Convention, of this Agreement and of any relevant subregional, regional or global fisheries agreement, as well as generally accepted standards for the conservation and management of living marine resources and other rules of international law not incompatible with the Convention, with a view to ensuring the conservation of the straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks concerned.

Article 42

Reservations and exceptions

No reservations or exceptions may be made to this Agreement.

Article 43

Declarations and statements

Article 42 does not preclude a State or entity, when signing, ratifying or acceding to this Agreement, from making declarations or statements, however phrased or named, with a view, inter alia, to the harmonization of its laws and regulations with the provisions of this Agreement, provided that such declarations or statements do not purport to exclude or to modify the legal effect of the provisions of this Agreement in their application to that State or entity.

Declarations

  • Austria (19 December 2003)
  • Belgium (19 December 2003)
  • Bulgaria (13 December 2006)
  • Canada (3 August 1999)
  • Chile (11 Feb 2016)
  • China (upon signature, 6 November 1996)
  • Croatia (10 September 2013)
  • Czech Republic (12 September 2007)
  • Denmark (19 December 2003)
  • Estonia (upon accession, 7 August 2006)
  • European Union (upon signature, 27 June 1996; upon ratification, 19 December 2003)
  • Finland (19 December 2003)
  • France (upon signature, 4 December 1996; upon ratification, 19 December 2003)
  • Germany (19 December 2003)
  • Greece (19 December 2003)
  • Hungary (20 April 2009)
  • India (19 Aug 2003)
  • Ireland (19 December 2003)
  • Italy (19 December 2003)
  • Latvia (12 April 2007)
  • Luxembourg (19 December 2003)
  • Netherlands (upon signature, 28 June 1996; upon ratification, 19 December 2003)
  • Norway (30 December 1996)
  • Poland (14 March 2006)
  • Portugal (19 December 2003)
  • Russian Federation (4 August 1997)
  • Slovakia (22 April 2009)
  • Slovenia (15 June 2006)
  • Spain (19 December 2003)
  • Sweden (19 December 2003)
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (10 December 2001; upon deposit instrument of ratification by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on behalf of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 19 December 2003; and 31 December 2020)
  • United States of America (21 August 1996)
  • Uruguay (upon signature, 16 January 1996, and confirmed upon ratification, 10 September 1999)
  • Viet Nam (18 December 2018)

Note: On 19 December 2003, instruments of ratification were deposited by the European Community and its 15 member States, with declarations.