FSK-3003 International Law and Oceans and Fisheries Governance - 10 stp

Theoretical subject.

The course can be taken as a singular course.

The course aims a) to provide students with basic knowledge of international law in the governance of oceans generally and fisheries specifically, as well as b) a fundamental understanding of the international trade regime and current developments there as applied to international trade in seafood.

This course addresses international law as applied to the governance of oceans generally and fisheries specifically on the one hand, and international trade on the other.

As regards oceans and fisheries governance, the Law of the Sea Convention and associated agreements and processes are discussed with an emphasis on how these instruments are applied and implemented at the global, regional, and domestic levels of governance. At the global level, a number of international agreements addressing oceans and fisheries have emerged over the last decades and we will provide an overview and analysis of this development. While the Law of the Sea Convention is the foundation of this system, the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals is a critical test of how this system works in terms of ensuring sustainable outcomes of efforts at oceans governance. The regional level of governance has become increasingly important, with a number of new and revised regional fisheries management organizations and arrangements in operation. The global and regional rules are being implemented at the domestic level of governance, which begs the question of effectiveness of implementation and how that can be improved.

World trade is regulated by a suite of international agreements under the World Trade Organization (WTO) where the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is the basic instrument. A number of other trade related instruments are also important in the context of seafood trade, including the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS), the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Codex Alimentarius provisions. The course also reviews other trade agreements and current developments in international trade politics, such as the increasing numbers of bilateral trade agreements and the erosion of the WTO-based system. Also, trade measures are increasingly used to influence resource management policies by private actors as well as governments.

Application code: 9371

The course is an optional course at the IFM programme.Entrance requirements as for the M.Sc. programme in International Fisheries Management.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge:

• The student will acquire a broad understanding of the role of international law in oceans and fisheries governance.
• The student will have advanced knowledge about the international marine governance and trade frameworks.
• The students will have knowledge about the functions and role of the central institutions in marine governance and trade.  

Skills:

• The student will be able to discuss how international governance frameworks are applied to substantive problems in oceans and fisheries governance.
• The students will know methods and approaches in the study of international oceans and fisheries governance.
• The students will be able to write a simple scientific text about international law and governance as applied to oceans issues.

Comptence:

• The students will be able to analyze oceans and fisheries governance frameworks and institutions.
• The student can provide a general description of the most important legal frameworks for oceans and fisheries governance.
• The students will be qualified to work in national and international organizations dealing with marine issues.

One week home exam.

The grading scale is A-F, where A-E is passed, and F is failed.

Work requirement:: A 2000 word essay on a topic covered by the course.

A re-sit exam will be arranged in the next semester.

The date for the exam can be changed. The final date will be announced at your faculty early in May and early in November.