United Nations declare World Tuna Day
New
York, 7 December 2016: The United Nations General Assembly
unanimously adopted draft resolution L.27 (A/71/L.27) today, thus
declaring 2 May as World Tuna Day. The draft was proposed by Nauru
on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) at
the United Nations and been actively promoted by all PSIDS in New
York. The resolution was co-sponsored by 96 countries from all
regions, costal, island and
landlocked.
The
resolution notes that more than 80 States have tuna fisheries,
thousands of tuna fishing vessels operate in all the regions and
tuna fishery capacity is still growing in the Pacific. The
resolution also notes that many countries depend heavily on tuna
resources for food security and nutrition, economic development,
employment, government revenue, livelihoods, and culture and
recreation. It also recognized the importance of sustainably
managed stocks in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development.
The
resolution was formally introduced at the start of the meeting on
behalf of the PSIDS, and highlighted the global importance of tuna,
as well as the serious challenges to the long-term sustainability
of fish stocks.
The
day concluded with a reception celebrating the adoption of the
resolution and declaration of 2 May as World Tuna
Day.