VOA慢速英语2009-Agriculture Report - Progress on Treaty Against

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Everyone knows that ships are a favorite target of pirates. But another problem takes place under the sea and often gets less attention: fish piracy¹. The technical term is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Among the most common acts are fishing without permission and catching² more than the limit. Other forms of fish piracy are targeting and catching protected species and using outlawed³ equipment. Some fishing nets, for example, trap whales. Another form of piracy is when species of caught fish and catch weights go unreported or underreported.
　
A fish market in Burma, also known as Myanmar

Illegal fishing can harm local fisheries and economies. It can also rob communities of an important food supply and endanger future populations of some kinds of fish.

Now, United Nations officials say representatives from more than sixty countries have made progress on an international agreement to control fish piracy. Five days of talks recently took place in Rome at the headquarters of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

The F.A.O. says fish piracy is difficult especially for developing countries to fight. Some countries lack good port controls. Pirates can easily land and sell their illegal catch. The problem is especially common along the west coast of Africa and in some ports in Asia and the Pacific.

F.A.O. officials say the general ideas for an international agreement or treaty are now largely in place. Final details, though, still need to be settled.

The negotiations⁵ involve what are known as port state measures. Under the proposed agreement, fishing boats would be directed to a landing port specially⁴ equipped for inspections⁶. The crews would have to radio those ports from out at sea and request permission to land. They would also have to provide information on their activities and the fish they are carrying.

Doing this before arrival would give port officials time to try to identify suspicious activities. Countries that agree to the measures would share information. That way, port officials could deny entry to a fishing boat that has committed offenses⁷ in others waters.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. Now, an update to our report two weeks ago on caterpillars⁸ eating crops in northern Liberia. The insects were feared to be armyworms. But experts have now identified them as another species that might be more easily contained. I'm Bob Doughty⁹.

1 piracy   

n.海盗行为，剽窃，著作权侵害

参考例句：

• The government has already adopted effective measures against piracy.政府已采取有效措施惩治盗版行为。
• They made the place a notorious centre of piracy.他们把这地方变成了臭名昭著的海盗中心。

2 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

3 outlawed   

宣布…为不合法（outlaw的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Most states have outlawed the use of marijuana. 大多数州都宣布使用大麻为非法行为。
• I hope the sale of tobacco will be outlawed someday. 我希望有朝一日烟草制品会禁止销售。

4 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

5 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

6 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

8 caterpillars   

n.毛虫( caterpillar的名词复数 )；履带

参考例句：

• Caterpillars eat the young leaves of this plant. 毛毛虫吃这种植物的嫩叶。
• Caterpillars change into butterflies or moths. 毛虫能变成蝴蝶或蛾子。 来自辞典例句

9 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。