UN General Assembly
1994

islands are located in those latitudes of the Pacific Ocean in which 50 per cent of the world’s highest grade tuna resources are located and caught. While we appreciate having this resource, we remain ever mindful of the fact that the continued viability of our economy depends on the rational use of the marine resources present in our waters and beyond. This principle of rational utilization of resources forms the foundation for the concept of sustainable development. It is not only coastal States like my own, which must be dedicated to rational use and responsible fishing practices. Distant water fishing nations must also recognize and protect the fragile balance of nature that exists in the oceans of the world to ensure the sustainability of the resource. During the last session of the Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, my Government’s delegation joined the 15 other States members of the Forum Fisheries Agency in supporting a binding legal document as the form of outcome for the Conference. Even so, we do not support any outcome