The Assembly, Recalling Article 15(j) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Assembly in relation to regulations and guidelines concerning maritime safety and the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships, Desiring to establish by common agreement the highest practicable standards for the safety of fishing vessels that can be implemented by all the States concerned, Welcoming the adoption, on 11 October 2012, of the Cape Town Agreement of 2012 on the Implementation of the Provisions of the Torremolinos Protocol of 1993 relating to the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977 (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement") by the 2012 International Conference on the Safety of Fishing Vessels, held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 9 to 11 October 2012, Recalling Conference resolution 1 on Early implementation of the Agreement, adopted by the 2012 International Conference on the Safety of Fishing Vessels, which states, inter alia, that the entry into force and implementation of the Agreement will make a significant contribution to the safety of ships in general and the safety of fishing vessels in particular; urges States to become a Party to the Agreement as soon as possible in order to facilitate its early entry into force and to cooperate with each other to achieve this end; and invites them to initiate action in accordance with the Agreement without awaiting its entry into force, Noting that the Agreement, in accordance with article 4(1), shall enter into force 12 months after the date on which not less than 22 States, the aggregate number of whose fishing vessels of 24 m in length and over operating on the high seas is not less than 3,600, have expressed their consent to be bound by it, Noting also that article 3(4) of the Agreement provides a simplified procedure for signature of the Agreement by Parties to the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol, whereby such States, having signed the Agreement in accordance with paragraph (2)(c) of article 3, shall be deemed to have expressed their consent to be bound by it 12 months after the date of its adoption, Noting Further that the Agreement is open for signature at IMO Headquarters until 10 February 2014 and thereafter will remain open for accession, Remaining convinced that the continuing and alarmingly high number of fishers' lives and of fishing vessels reported lost every year could be substantially reduced by global, uniform and effective implementation of the Agreement, 1 Urges parties to the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol to consider signing the Agreement under the simplified procedure set out in article 3(4) by 10 February 2014; 2 Urges also Governments not Party to the 1993 Torremolinos Protocol to consider signing, ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the Agreement at the earliest possible opportunity; 3 Encourages governments to initiate action in accordance with the Agreement without awaiting its entry into force; 4 Requests the Maritime Safety Committee to monitor the progress made regarding the entry into force of the Agreement and to take action as it deems appropriate; 5 Requests ALSO the Secretary-General to take any such additional measures as may be required, aimed at assisting Member Governments in the process of becoming Parties to, and implementing, the Agreement.
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