Social Justice, Equity and Ecological Sustainability
Global impacts and sustainability
In order to achieve ecological sustainability in the use of ocean resources, it is important that the interests of all people and nations involved are considered in the process. Changes should be made for the common good. Countries and communities most vulnerable to the effects of pollution and over fishing need to be considered in the process of creating and implementing sustainable use of ocean resources. Refer Image 1
Global fisheries are becoming depleted at an alarming rate. Pollution and waste are continually put into the ocean and as long as these problems continue, Indigenous peoples and rural fishing communities around the world will severely suffer. Pollution is not limited to one area of the world but is spread to every corner of the Earth. Toxins and other poisonous materials put into the water will eventually make their way through the food web to humans. Indigenous peoples and developing communities are most vulnerable to these toxins as they often do not have immediate, if any, access to professional medical assistance.
Flags of Convenience
A 'flag of convenience' is when a vessel flies a flag that is not of its native country. Ships that fly flags of convenience are not obliged to abide by their native country's conservation and sustainability laws. This allows the ships to essentially practice illegal fishing methods simply by changing flags. The country whose flag is flying is responsible for enforcing regulations. Most of the time, however, regulations are not enforced. The European Union has the largest amount of ships flying flags of convenience. Ships owned by Spain sail under about 45 different flags of convenience. Refer Image 2
A Socially just result
What would a fair and just outcome be?
A socially just result would require commercial fishing limits to be globally enforced so that fishing can continue in a sustainable manner. The issues of global pollution and waste dumping need to be conducted in an ecologically sustainable manner. Many local fishing communities and developing nations have not been part of the problem of over-fishing or waste dumping, yet these people are still being adversely affected by the problems. The effects on people who have not been part of the problem need to be eliminated.
The socially just result of how to deal with depletion of ocean resources on a global level would be for every country to reduce its total use of ocean resources intended for market. This includes reductions in commercial and illegal fishing practices, mineral mining, oil extraction and global pollution and waste dumping from all sectors of the economy. An example of how to determine reduction rates would be to set individual goals for each country depending on their current use of resources. Both short-term and
long-term goals need to be addressed.
long-term goals need to be addressed.
Local fishing communities have resources taken illegally or through country agreements, such as flags of convenience. A socially just result would require three main things:
1. the monitoring of and punishment for illegal fishing
2. sustainable fishing to allow local communities to still support themselves and
3. in the case of fishing agreements, profits of commercial fishing being shared with the local
communities from which the fish are taken.
2. sustainable fishing to allow local communities to still support themselves and
3. in the case of fishing agreements, profits of commercial fishing being shared with the local
communities from which the fish are taken.
The countries that are not currently making any changes towards ocean resource sustainability are not practicing social justice. Instead, these countries should be looking at how to deal with the results of complete ocean resource exhaustion on both the natural and human environments.
An Equitable process
What would an equitable process require?
An equitable process would require affluent (rich), developed countries to invest more time and money researching environmentally friendly ways to deal with pollution and waste dumping. Money could be spent on better recycling programs, instead of simply dumping all of the unwanted plastics, metals and various other harmful objects into the ocean.Refer Image 3
Local fishing communities that have resources taken, either illegally or through country agreements, such as flags of convenience, are greatly disadvantaged. It is highly unlikely that these countries and local fishing communities will benefit from this in any way. An equitable process would be for all countries which fly flags of convenience to stop this practice. Each country is given an area of ocean for which they are responsible as outlined in the Convention on the Law of the Sea. The rights of landlocked countries are also outlined in the Convention.
Humans around the globe need to understand the connections between ocean life, the importance of biodiversity and the possibility of things yet to be discovered. An equitable process would require everyone responsible to identify the problems of ocean resource use and understand why excessive exploitation of the seas is having a negative impact on the ocean and ultimately humankind. Every country would then need to create, implement and enforce by law, the limitations required in order to use ocean resources in a sustainable way.
