AGRICULTURE REPORT -

An International Treaty Targets Fishing Abuses

農業報道——針對漁業濫捕行為的國際公約

Some pirates catch fish instead of ships。 The problem is known as illegal， unreported and unregulated fishing。 Such fishing harms the productivity of fisheries， and hurts developing countries especially。

有一些海盜捕魚而不搶劫船隻。這就是所謂的非法的，未上報的以及無組織捕魚問題。這樣的捕魚行為造成了漁場產量的損失，對發展中國家的危害尤其嚴重。

The fish pirates can easily land in ports that are not well controlled。 Then they sell their catch at prices too low for the local fishing industry to compete。 The catch may enter international markets， yet rob communities of needed food and raise the risk of fishery collapse。

捕魚海盜可以輕易地在管制不完善的港口登陸。然後，他們以遠遠低於當地漁業行情的價格售賣捕獲的魚，以此提高競爭力。這樣的魚可能會進入國際市場，但這對於以這些魚為主食的生物無疑是搶劫。漁業崩潰的風險也大大增加了。

But last month， the governing conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization approved a new treaty。 The agreement， once it takes effect， will be the first under international law to target just this problem。

但是上個月，聯合國糧農組織大會通過了一項新公約。這項公約一旦生效，就會成為第一項在國際法律約束下針對這個問題（非法捕魚）的公約。

It has a long name： the Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent， Deter and Eliminate Illegal， Unreported and Unregulated Fishing。 The F。A。O。 says that by signing the treaty， governments promise to take steps to guard their ports against ships involved in such fishing。

這項公約有一個長長的名字：關於預防， 制止及消除非法，未上報及無組織捕魚的港口措施的公約。聯合國糧農組織表示，透過簽署這項公約，各國政府就將承諾採取一些措施保衛自己的港口，以此對抗非法捕魚船隻。

The behavior of a fishing boat is mainly the responsibility of the nation whose flag it flies。 The new treaty is directed at countries where fishing ships enter port。 The aim is to get the countries to identify report and deny entry to offending vessels。

一個國家要對其所屬漁船的行為負主要責任。這項新公約針對的是在那些漁船可以進入港口的國家，目的是讓這些國家鑑別（船隻）報告，並且拒絕有入侵行為的船隻入港。

To land， foreign fishing ships will have to request permission from ports that are able to inspect them。 And before they arrive， they will have to send information on their activities and the fish they are carrying。 If a ship is denied entry， other ports will be told。 And the nation whose flag it is sailing under must take action。

外國船隻想要靠岸的話，必須取得能夠監督它的港口的准許。在其到達港口之前，必須通報有關其活動以及所運載魚類的資訊。如果一條漁船被拒絕入港，其他港口會得到通知。該漁船的所屬國也必須採取行動。

The agreement will take effect once twenty-five countries have ratified it into law after signing it。 Eleven members of the Food and Agriculture Organization immediately signed the treaty。 They included Angola， Brazil， Chile，the European Union， Indonesia and Iceland。 The others were Norway， Samoa， Sierra Leone， the United States and Uruguay。

此項公約將在 25 個國家簽署並認可其法律效力後生效。糧農組織的 11 個成員國當即簽署了公約。這些國家包括安哥拉，巴西，智利，歐盟，印度尼西亞及島。其他的國家還有挪威，薩摩亞，獅子山，美國及烏拉圭。

Activists with the Pew Environment Group say countries should use the measures even before the treaty takes effect。 The group notes that a past fishing treaty took almost ten years to come into force。

來自 Pew 環境組織的激進人士說，各國在公約生效之前就應有所行動。該組織表示過去有捕魚公約花了將近 10 年的時間才生效。

But the director of international law programs at Southern Illinois University is more hopeful。 Cindy Buys thinks the treaty might take effect in only about a year。 But she points out that the success of the treaty depends on the ability of nations to enforce it。

但是南伊利諾伊大學的國際法律科目主任更加樂觀。Cindy Buys 認為此公約可能會在僅僅一年內生效。但她指出這項公約是否成功取決於其執行國家的能力。