Accountability.Fish Welcomes Greenpeace Report on Oceans Governance
Washington, DC, May 31, 2024 – International oceans governance watchdog Accountability.Fish welcomes the launch of Greenpeace International’s bombshell report on oceans governance called “Untangled – How the Global Ocean Treaty can Help Repair High Seas Mismanagement.”
“Well documented and comprehensive, this report is an important addition to the growing global conversation about oceans governance,” said Accountability.Fish Global Director Ryan Orgera. “At the same time, even though it focuses on using the Global Ocean (BBNJ) Treaty as the vehicle for a solution, it actually amplifies our calls for immediate reform. Because the oceans cannot wait.”
The report specifically calls out the world’s RFMOs for their “lack of transparency and accountability” and “consensus-based decision making – which allows a minority of actors to block progress towards additional conservation and management measures for the high seas.”
“What we have is a system that can be easily sabotaged by a small number of bad actors – either a country beholden to its industrial fishers or by an RFMO that purposely closes key proceedings to observers and the media,” said Orgera.
“This isn’t simply an issue for environmentalists – it’s a system that also puts consumers, retailers, marketers, and labor at a huge disadvantage, Orgera added. “And it needs to be reformed now.”
Accountability.Fish is a global initiative committed to increasing openness and accountability in international fisheries decision making. It is funded by the Oceans Five Foundation.
