Ghost Gear Report - 59

THE INTERNATIONAL
WHALING
COMMISSION (IWC)
ENCOURAGED
COUNTRIES TO
SUPPORT A GLOBAL
GOVERNANCE
MECHANISM WHICH
WOULD BRING
COORDINATION
AND MANAGEMENT
FOR THE FULL
LIFE CYCLE OF
PLASTICS, INCLUDING
ABANDONED LOST OR
DISCARDED FISHING
GEAR, UNDER ONE
UMBRELLA.

● Recognizing the threat of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear, the Parties of
the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed to identify options to
address waste from the fishing industry and implement activities and good practices, such as deposit schemes, voluntary agreements and end-of-life recovery. However, the decision is not legally binding.
● Under the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild
Animals (CMS), two resolutions (Res.10.4 and Res.11.30) have been adopted that
encourage measures to address knowledge gaps especially relating to the impacts
of debris on marine species, best practice on commercial vessels, and awareness
campaigns. These conservation instruments are not comprehensive, but provide
supplementary measures for specific species (turtles, whales and dolphins).
● The International Whaling Commission (IWC) held a workshop on marine
debris in December 2019, which encouraged countries to support a global governance mechanism which would bring coordination and management for the full life
cycle of plastics, including abandoned lost or discarded fishing gear, under one
umbrella. Additionally the IWC intends to work more closely with GGGI on these
issues.
● Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (Stockholm
Convention) provides for some regulation of the production, use and disposal
of additives used in the manufacture of plastics. The application of the Stockholm
Convention is limited to those plastics produced with persistent organic pollutants
(POPs) listed under the Convention and may have implications for the recycling and
reuse of products that contain regulated chemicals. Yet the scope of the convention
is limited to certain chemicals used in plastic production.
● Convention on the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and Their Disposal (Basel Convention) applies to transboundary movements,
including by sea, of hazardous wastes, other waste, and more recently marine litter.
The regional and coordinating centres of the Convention were encouraged to work
on the impact of plastic waste, marine plastic litter, microplastics, and measures for
prevention and environmentally sound management; still plastics aren't currently
considered hazardous waste.
● Honolulu Strategy: A Global Framework for Prevention and Management of Marine Debris (Honolulu Strategy) developed by the UN Environment and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine
Debris Program, is a voluntary framework strategy to reduce and monitor marine
litter, including ghost gear, but it does not provide targets or deadlines.
● The GloLitter Partnership Project was launched in December 2019 by FAO and
IMO. The project aims to prevent and reduce marine plastic litter from shipping
and fisheries and to assist developing countries to identify opportunities to prevent and reduce marine litter in the maritime transport and fisheries sectors. The
GloLitter project will help enforce existing regulations (IMO's MARPOL Annex V),
promote compliance with relevant FAO instruments (Voluntary Guidelines on the
Marking of Fishing Gear), and emphasize the implementation and enforcement of
IMO's London Convention/London Protocol regime on dumping of wastes at sea. At
country level, GloLitter aims to expand government and port management capacities; instigate legal, policy and institutional reforms; and enhance regional cooperation.

59
Ghost Gear Report

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ghost Gear Report
