UN Agency Urges Greater Protectionsfor “Inland Fisheries”

UN Agency Urges Greater Protections

for “Inland Fisheries”

聯合國機構敦促給予“內陸漁業”更大的保護

The world's network of lakes， rivers and streams that provide fish and fresh drinking water to millions of people must be better managed in order to safeguard their ongoing contribution to healthy diets and the global economy， the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization （FAO） urged today.

According to the FAO， lakes and rivers are an “essential source” of protein， micronutrients， vitamins and fats for millions of people， particularly in developing countries， where more than 60 million people rely on them for their livelihood. An estimated 71 low-income countries， in fact， currently produce nearly 7 million tonnes a year， or 80 per cent of so-called global inland captures.

In addition， much of the nutrition garnered from inland fisheries is ultimately critical in supplementing the incomplete diets of many of the world's poor. Some 800，000 children die each year from zinc deficiency; 250 million children worldwide are at risk of vitamin A deficiency; and almost a third of the world's population is iron deficient.

At the same time， the UN agency noted， these bodies of water are frequently impacted by other human needs， including energy creation， tourism and competition for freshwater， which can damage the delicate ecosystems in play.

Currently， less than half of international or shared inland water bodies have international agreements on their management and only 11 per cent have a mandate covering fish， the FAO said.

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