Cover
FAO FISHERIES TECHNICAL PAPER 338



An introduction to monitoring, control and surveillance systems for capture fisheries


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Prepared by
P. Flewwelling
Consultant

Reprinted 1999

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

M-43
ISBN 92-5-103584-9

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Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 1994 © FAO 1994


PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT

This paper is intended as a technical reference for all Fisheries Administrators. It is hoped that it will contribute towards efforts to implement coastal and offshore fisheries management schemes using appropriate strategies of monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) wherever they are needed.

Mr Peter Flewwelling is President of Ocean Resources Limited, 29 Crimson Drive, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada, B4C 3L2.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks are given to the staff of FAO who took time and effort to offer their advice and experience in the design and review of this paper. Further, thanks and sincere appreciation for the support and assistance from the official reviewers from the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency; the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the Seychelles Fishing Authority; Mr. Winston Miller, the Chair of the Belize Fisheries Advisory Board and former Fisheries Administrator; and to Peter Derham, a well known fisheries manager with extensive international experience. My thanks go also to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and Roche International for permission to use their graphics and materials from other projects. Finally, my sincere appreciation to all those unofficial advisors who took the time to review and offer advice during the development of this paper.

DISTRIBUTION

FAO Fisheries Department
FAO Legal Office
FAO Regional Fishery Officers
Directors of Fisheries
Selected Institutes and Projects
Regional and International Fisheries Organizations

Flewwelling, P.
An introduction to monitoring, control and surveillance for capture fisheries
FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 338. Rome, FAO. 1995. 217 p.
ABSTRACT
The paper has been designed as a handbook for Fisheries Administrators (a term used to denote those fisheries authorities responsible for decisions regarding the fisheries of their country) for their consideration when establishing, or enhancing, monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) systems in support of fisheries management initiatives. The paper is divided into three main parts: definition and context of an MCS system; design considerations for MCS; and, MCS operational procedures. Annexes provide detailed examples of operational issues to be addressed in MCS system design and implementation.

Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.   INTRODUCTION

2.   OVERVIEW

3.   MONITORING, CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE: DEFINITION AND CONTEXT

3.1   Definition of MCS

3.2   MCS components

3.3   Role in fisheries management

4.   DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR MCS

4.1   Influential factors

4.1.1   Geographic, demographic, marine industry and international factors

4.1.2   Economic factors

4.1.3   Political will and commitment

4.2   Organizational considerations

4.2.1   National, sub-regional and regional structures

4.2.2   Roles and responsibilities

4.2.3   Core infrastructure requirements

4.2.4   Staffing

4.2.5   Financial considerations

4.3   Management measures

4.4   Fisheries law

4.4.1   National obligations

4.4.2   Impact of civil and common law systems

4.4.3   Core components of fisheries legislation

4.5   Consultation and liaison

4.5.1   Fishing industry inputs

4.5.2   Inter-ministerial liaison

4.6   MCS Plans

5.   MCS OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

5.1   Data collection

5.2   Fisheries patrols

5.3   Boardings

5.4   Inspection procedures

5.5   Verification of catches

5.6   Verification of position

5.7   Transhipment

5.8   Port State control and FAO “flagging agreement”

5.9   Fisheries prosecutions

REFERENCES

ANNEXES

A. Fishing Vessel Identification and Marking

B. Fishing Gear Identification

C. Core Components of a Fisheries Officer Operational Manual

D. Core Components of Fisheries Officer Training

E. Core Components of Observer Training

F. Core Components of MCS Reports

G. Core Components of a Fisheries Management Plan

H. Components of the Prosecution Process

I. International Law Influencing Fisheries Management

J. Table to Indicate Key MCS Components

LIST OF ACRONYMS

ADBASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK
ASEANASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
CARICOMCARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
CECAFFAO FISHERY COMMITTEE FOR THE EASTERN CENTRAL
ATLANTIC
CFRAMPCARICOM FISHERIES RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
CIDACANADIAN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
CONVENTION1982 UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE
SEA
DFASDEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES OF
SCOTLAND
EECEUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
EEZEXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE
ETAESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL
ETDESTIMATED TIME OF DEPARTURE
FADFISH AGGREGATING DEVICE
FAOFOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED
NATIONS
FFASOUTH PACIFIC FORUM FISHERIES AGENCY
GPSGLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM
ICODINTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR OCEAN DEVELOPMENT
ILOINTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION
IMOINTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED
NATIONS
IOFCINDIAN OCEAN FISHERIES COMMISSION
IOMACINDIAN OCEAN MARINE AFFAIRS CO-OPERATION PROGRAM
IPTPINDO-PACIFIC TUNA PROGRAM
IRCSINTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION RADIO
CALLSIGNS
ITQINDIVIDUAL TRANSFERABLE QUOTA
ITUINTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION
LOALETTER OF AGREEMENT
LUX-DEV.DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
MARPOL 73/78INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON THE PREVENTION OF
POLLUTION FROM SHIPS
MCSMONITORING, CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE
NAFONORTHWEST ATLANTIC FISHERIES ORGANIZATION
OECSORGANIZATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES
SFASEYCHELLES FISHING AUTHORITY
SOLASINTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON SAFETY OF LIFE AT SEA
SQ3FLAG SIGNAL- “STOP OR HEAVE TO, I AM GOING TO BOARD
YOU”
UKUNITED KINGDOM
UNCEDUNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT
UNDPUNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
USAUNITED STATES OF AMERICA
USSRFORMER UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
VMSVESSEL MONITORING SYSTEM