[DRAFT] Ban on Harmful Fishing Methods

[Seven Seas]

Its my first (real) proposal, and would of course appreciate feedback.

Ban on Harmful Fishing Methods

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: Fishing

The World Assembly

AWARE of the fragility of aquatic species population in the face of modern fishing techniques

SEEKS to help aquatic species continue to thrive and provide a sustainable source of food.

NOTICES the harmful ways some fishing boats operate.

ATTEMPTS to protect other species not targeted by fishing vessels.

HEREBY:

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, "harmful fishing methods" as any methods for harvesting or capturing aquatic species in a manner that causes significant damage to the local habitat, or causes multiple deaths or fatal injuries to members of non-targeted species. Especially the following:

a. Dynamite Fishing: being defined as the killing and/or stunning of fish by dynamite or any other explosive device being activated and thrown into a school, shoal, or habitat of the targeted species and collecting the animals that float to the surface of the water. Noting that more animals sink to the bottom than float to the top and that all species and their habitat in the area are destroyed.

b. Bottom Trawling: being defined as the dragging of a trawl net across the seafloor from a fishing vessel. Noting that this destroys habitat, and makes fish populations rapidly decline.

c. Gill nets/Drift nets: being defined as nets put out by boats and left unattended to catch fish that try to swim through them. Noting that this catches all aquatic species that attempt to swim through it.

2. Bans the use of harmful fishing methods for all vessels registered in WA nations, and all vessels operating within a WA nations jurisdiction.

[Flying Eagles]

We don’t know if you’ve approached this in the correct way, as you can’t possibly cover every single method of harmful fishing. SEEKS, NOTICES, and ATTEMPTS should likely be SEEKING, NOTICING, and ATTEMPTING.

[Barfleur]

Hello, and welcome to the GA! First, good job drafting this here rather than immediately submitting!
As Flying Eagles said, you cannot possibly cover all harmful fishing methods, so in your proposal just say define them as "any method to extract aquatic beings from the water in such a manner that destroys a natural habitat, causes the deaths of beings which are either endangered or not intended for consumption, or which causes significant and irreversible pollution." Also, you need an operative clause, like "The World Assembly hereby..."
If you want, I can show you a draft that meets the requirements and makes more sense.

[Awesomeland012345]

Your proposal should start with, "The World Assembly,"

Also, the defining part should go after the hereby part and before the 1 part. And you spelled "hereby" "herbey".

[Seven Seas]

Ok, I made some edits. Out of interest, how do the WA voting blocks work? I am more well versed in regional politics, but I don't really know the goings on on the interregional stage.

[Graintfjall]

“Is a ban strictly necessary? Can’t you just use more lube?”

An intern bends and whispers into Júlía Maria’s ear; she in turn removes her glasses and gives them a thorough polish.

“Oh. Fishing. I see.

“Ahem. Our feedback on this proposal would be that it is trying to address too many different things. While perhaps deplorable, dynamite fishing is not really a transnational issue in the same way that drift nets undoubtedly are. We would be more supportive of legislation specifically limited to drift nets – but a total ban on them would be unworkable, because as written this would include even small-scale operations of no transnational impact. Limit the scope to large-scale pelagic drift nets and you might be closer to something we could support.”

-- Júlía Maria Jónsdóttir
Economic Advisor to the Græntfjall WA Mission

[Ardiveds]

OOC: Out of curiosity, what is stopping a nation from simply substituting the dynamite in dynamite fishing with some other explosive, like a grenade?

[Seven Seas]

OOC: Out of curiosity, what is stopping a nation from simply substituting the dynamite in dynamite fishing with some other explosive, like a grenade?

"Any method of harvesting or catching aquatic species in a manner that destroys habitat or significantly endangers non targeted species. Especially the following:"

Is what it says, a grenade would still harm the environment. I included the dynamite fishing and trawling etc to give examples and as the main points the proposal is addressing,

[Barfleur]

The edit is a little better, but there are still some issues. For one, you should change "herebey" to "hereby" and immediately after that, put "1. Defines" and then put a "2." before "bans". You might also consider changing the verbs before "hereby" to adjectives. For example:

The World Assembly,

Aware of the fragility of aquatic species population in the face of modern fishing techniques;

Seeking to help aquatic species continue to thrive and provide a sustainable source of food;

Noticing with sadness the use of harmful fishing methods;

Resolved to protect aquatic species and their habitats from unnecessary harm;

Hereby:

1. Defines a "harmful fishing method" as any method of harvesting or catching aquatic species in a manner that significantly endangers any species or any marine habitat, and further defines—
a. "explosion fishing" as the stunning and/or killing of fish by means of an explosive device being detonated among a school, shoal, or habitat of fish, followed by the collecting of stunned and/or dead fish once they rise to the surface;
b. "bottom trawling" as the dragging of a trawl net across the seafloor from a fishing vessel; and
c. "drift net" as a net put out and left unattended to catch any fish that attempts to swim through it; and
2. Bans the use of explosion fishing, bottom trawling, drift nets, and all other harmful fishing methods in all member nations and the territorial waters thereof.

[Seven Seas]

I keep typing "hereby" wrong

[Kenmoria]

“This looks like a good draft, and a good topic to cover. Your clause 2 has a few grammar mistakes, though: ‘register’ should be ‘registered’ and ‘nations’ should have an apostrophe. Although it is quite simple currently, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

Ok, I made some edits. Out of interest, how do the WA voting blocks work? I am more well versed in regional politics, but I don't really know the goings on on the interregional stage.

(OOC: When delegates vote in the WA, they have a number of votes equal to their endorsements plus one.)

[Seven Seas]

“This looks like a good draft, and a good topic to cover. Your clause 2 has a few grammar mistakes, though: ‘register’ should be ‘registered’ and ‘nations’ should have an apostrophe. Although it is quite simple currently, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

Ok, I made some edits. Out of interest, how do the WA voting blocks work? I am more well versed in regional politics, but I don't really know the goings on on the interregional stage.

(OOC: When delegates vote in the WA, they have a number of votes equal to their endorsements plus one.)

Mmmm, I've never been one for grammar (I tend not to read my work, so I gave it to the forums).

[Shazbotdom]

"Nonsense. If I want to drop a stick of TNT into a lake to float up a bunch of fish, I will damn well do that."
~Understudy of the Shazonite Ambassador to the World Assembly

[Araraukar]

1. Defines "Harmful Fishing Methods" (for the purpose of this Act): as any method of harvesting or catching aquatic species in a manner that destroys habitat or significantly endangers non targeted species.

OOC: This should likely be re-worded something like this:

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, "harmful fishing methods" as any methods for harvesting or capturing non-sapient members aquatic species in a manner that causes significant damage to the local habitat, or causes multiple deaths or fatal injuries to members of non-targeted species.

The above alteration catches everything you've specifically spelled out (which list, btw, bafflingly lacks longlines), prevents loopholes (such as swtching TNT for any other explosive), specifies you're talking about animals and plants and such, not people (the "non-sapient" bit), and because "destroys habitat" is loopholeable, I changed it to "significant damage" and added "local", so that nations can't claim that destroying a coral reef doesn't matter, because there are other reefs elsewhere. I also took out "endangers" because that sounds like something that'd be caught by the endangered species protection resolution, and to both occasions of "species", I added "members of" so that it doesn't sound like you're talking about the entire species.

Especially the following:

a. Dynamite Fishing: being defined as the killing and/or stunning of fish by dynamite being lighted and thrown into a school, shoal, or habitat of the targeted fish and collecting the fish that float to the surface of the water. Noting that more fish sink to the bottom than float to the top and that all species and their habitat in the blasted area are destroyed.

b. Bottom Trawling: being defined as the dragging of a trawl net across the seafloor from a fishing vessel. Noting that this destroys habitat, and make fish populations rapidly decline.

c. Gill nets/Drift nets: being defined as nets put out by boats and left unattended to catch fish that try to swim through them. Noting that this catches all aquatic species that attempt to swim through it.

If you make the changes I suggested above, you don't need any of these as they'll all be included in the changed definition. Also, do you know how to use list code? The tab code makes the formatting weird.

2. Bans the use of these "Harmful Fishing Methods" harmful fishing methods within the jurisdiction of any member nation, as well as for all vessels registered under in member nations.

Edits to make it sound more like law text rather than forum chat.

[Seven Seas]

1. Defines "Harmful Fishing Methods" (for the purpose of this Act): as any method of harvesting or catching aquatic species in a manner that destroys habitat or significantly endangers non targeted species.

OOC: This should likely be re-worded something like this:

1. Defines, for the purposes of this resolution, "harmful fishing methods" as any methods for harvesting or capturing non-sapient members aquatic species in a manner that causes significant damage to the local habitat, or causes multiple deaths or fatal injuries to members of non-targeted species.

The above alteration catches everything you've specifically spelled out (which list, btw, bafflingly lacks longlines), prevents loopholes (such as swtching TNT for any other explosive), specifies you're talking about animals and plants and such, not people (the "non-sapient" bit), and because "destroys habitat" is loopholeable, I changed it to "significant damage" and added "local", so that nations can't claim that destroying a coral reef doesn't matter, because there are other reefs elsewhere. I also took out "endangers" because that sounds like something that'd be caught by the endangered species protection resolution, and to both occasions of "species", I added "members of" so that it doesn't sound like you're talking about the entire species.

Especially the following:

a. Dynamite Fishing: being defined as the killing and/or stunning of fish by dynamite being lighted and thrown into a school, shoal, or habitat of the targeted fish and collecting the fish that float to the surface of the water. Noting that more fish sink to the bottom than float to the top and that all species and their habitat in the blasted area are destroyed.

b. Bottom Trawling: being defined as the dragging of a trawl net across the seafloor from a fishing vessel. Noting that this destroys habitat, and make fish populations rapidly decline.

c. Gill nets/Drift nets: being defined as nets put out by boats and left unattended to catch fish that try to swim through them. Noting that this catches all aquatic species that attempt to swim through it.

If you make the changes I suggested above, you don't need any of these as they'll all be included in the changed definition. Also, do you know how to use list code? The tab code makes the formatting weird.

2. Bans the use of these "Harmful Fishing Methods" harmful fishing methods within the jurisdiction of any member nation, as well as for all vessels registered under in member nations.

Edits to make it sound more like law text rather than forum chat.

Long lining is hard to ban because it is used so often, and ways are being developed to make it more sustainable. And it can be argued that some aquatic creatures are indeed sapient. Thanks for the edits.

[Araraukar]

Long lining is hard to ban because it is used so often

OOC: ...so's bottom-trawling, but that's not the point. Just use the edited definition I gave you, and you won't need to make any list of methods.

and ways are being developed to make it more sustainable

Same for bottom-trawling. Again, not the point. Just use the definition and let member nations worry about fixing specifics.

And it can be argued that some aquatic creatures are indeed sapient.

Which is kinda my point. In RL some nations may think it's okay to hunt dolphins and whales for food, but in the WA that would count as murder. However, murder shouldn't be something invoked to protect non-targeted catches which for the largest part even in RL are going to be definitely non-sapient fish.

Basically, you have the right idea, but you'll need to make it more generally applicable. That's what my edits were for.

[Ardiveds]

Which is kinda my point. In RL some nations may think it's okay to hunt dolphins and whales for food, but in the WA that would count as murder. However, murder shouldn't be something invoked to protect non-targeted catches which for the largest part even in RL are going to be definitely non-sapient fish.

OOC: Wait are sapient species without personhood considered sapient by the WA?

[Seven Seas]

For clarification, the examples of dynamite fishing and the others are there to show mainly which methods are harmful and the ones being targeted. Other methods are also harmful, but are not specifically covered.

[Keswickholt]

For clarification, the examples of dynamite fishing and the others are there to show mainly which methods are harmful and the ones being targeted. Other methods are also harmful, but are not specifically covered.

I am pretty sure people have got Darwin Awards for that ridiculous way of fishing

[Seven Seas]

For clarification, the examples of dynamite fishing and the others are there to show mainly which methods are harmful and the ones being targeted. Other methods are also harmful, but are not specifically covered.

I am pretty sure people have got Darwin Awards for that ridiculous way of fishing

Thank you for introducing me to the Darwin Award, I have some people to give it to.

[Minskiev]

Out of curiosity, and in basically no way contributing, do you know how to fish? Not deep sea, just like in a pond, or something. It’s quite nice.

Anyways, as many before have said, please change SEEKS, NOTICES, and ATTEMPTS to SEEKING, NOTICING, and ATTEMPTING.

For those curious how to fish, here’s a small guide.

1. Get a rod. Shorter rods are for ponds, lakes, etc. Longer rods are for sea and ocean fishing. The longer the rod, the bigger fish you can catch, but the more likely that the string will get tangled near the top.

2. Get bait, hooks, sinkers, etc. To attach bait, puncture the worm in the head, the middle (but not the heart), and 3/4 down. Fresh bait is optimal, as it has grease that fish like, and so that washes away the first time in water, but it isn’t necessary.

3. With one hand near the bottom of the handle, and another at the absolute top of the handle, use the top hand’s index finger and thumb to grasp the string. The string should be tight, without slack. Then, flip the handle over the roll of string. You’ll see the string becomes looser, and if you didn’t hold it well, it’d fall.

4. Swing the string back and forth, and as you’re chucking it into the water, let go of the string. Aim higher to throw farther. Try not to be so near the edge. After it’s in the water, flip the handle back, and wait. Position your rod slightly downwards.

5. If your bobber starts being pulled down, stay calm and wait a second or so. Then flip your slightly downward rod up quickly, in a fast and firm motion, but not too strongly. Then, reel forward as fast as possible. Note: Reel FORWARD. Reeling backward can break the rod. Once the fish is near the edge, go closer to the water and start pulling the rod upwards. However, make sure the fish is in the water, but won’t get away, until you’re ready for something like a photo.

6. If the hook is on the side of the fish’s mouth, good. Pull it out, take the photo, hold it, whatever. Then, stoop down, and release it back. Unless you’re keeping it.

7. If they swallowed the hook whole, then that’s trickier to get out. But, still possible, probably. Now, photo, release, or not. You know the drill. Note: Fishes are kind of slimy, but not as much as you’d think.

8. You did it! Now, reset.

Tips: Optimal times for fishing are early morning, and late afternoon, so that it’s light out, but not too hot or too bright. Some bait companies call them night crawlers. They’re the same thing, despite the scary-ish name. And finally, stay calm. Also, chairs and drinks are very helpful.

[Seven Seas]

Okay, but why are you telling me why to fish? I personally don't fish (or eat seafood).

[Minskiev]

I’m not telling you to fish, I’m asking you if you fish. I’m also guiding those who want to fish but don’t know how.

[Seven Seas]

I’m not telling you to fish, I’m asking you if you fish. I’m also guiding those who want to fish but don’t know how.

But why are you telling people how to fish on a WA proposal thread?

[Minskiev]

I’m not telling you to fish, I’m asking you if you fish. I’m also guiding those who want to fish but don’t know how.

But why are you telling people how to fish on a WA proposal thread?

Well, I’ve given you advice for your proposal. I’m just helping people out here. Have I done something wrong?