Day the world's nations agreed to protect the oceans and their creatures from pollution and over-harvest (1994);

Day to mourn continuing pollution and over-harvest. U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea: signed/adopted 12/10/1982; entered into force 11/16/1994.] [Text of Convention] For more information on the Convention, see U.N. Division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea website. See also Wikipedia article on U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea Citizens for Global Solutions website. For information on ocean pollution and fisheries conservation, see Greenpeace website; EarthJustice website; Natural Resources Defense Counsel (N.R.D.C.) website. Fish stocks have collapsed in almost one-third of all ocean fisheries. The rate of decline is accelerating and total loss of fisheries could occur by mid-century. Fishery decline is caused by over-fishing the stock, the loss of marine biodiversity associated with the stock, pollution, and climate change. Establishing core protected areas for each surviving stock and preventing the stock from being fished above the maximum sustainable yield are crucial for its survival. For information about the collapse of fishery stocks, see U.N. Environment Program report "In Dead Water" National Center for Policy Analysis article Wikipedia article on Over-fishing.]