The International Policing of High Sea Fisheries

Abstract

The need to strengthen international co-operation in the rational exploitation of the fishery resources of the high seas is a question which has become of growing importance in recent years. Increased efforts devoted to research and the exploration of the seas are constantly revealing the contribution which these resources may make to the improvement of standards of nutrition, while both states and private enterprise are becoming ever more conscious of the economic potential which these resources represent. At the same time new techniques and equipment are being developed to make the exploitation of fishery resources both easier and more profitable. However, it is generally recognized that fishery resources are not inexhaustible, and in many instances the urgent need for conservation measures has become apparent. In addition, the regulation of the conduct of fishing operations is now necessary in fishing grounds which are intensively exploited.