Feidi.I.H.
Post-evaluation study on the Indian Ocean Fishery Commission : Committee for the
Development and Management of the Fishery Resources of the Gulfs.
FAO Fisheries Circular No. 984. Cairo, FAO.2002.XXp.

The Regional Commission for Fisheries (RECOFI) was established in 2001 as an FAO Regional Fishery Body under Article XIV of its Constitution. It replaced the now defunct Gulfs Committee, which ceased to exist in 1999 when its parent Commission, the Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (IOFC), was abolished. At its First Session held in Muscat, Oman in October 2001, RECOFI requested that a Post-Evaluation Study on the Gulfs Committee be carried out to provide useful lessons from its experiences and operations. The FAO Secretariat recruited a Consultant to carry out the task.

The Gulfs Committee had eight Member States. These were: Bahrain, Iran (Islamic Republic of ), Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. It was established in 1972 as a subsidiary to the IOFC in order to follow up on the development of the fisheries sectors of its eight Member States. Its main task was the implementation of the regional Gulfs Project, which was being executed by FAO during the period 1975-1979. A technical sub-committee was appointed by the Committee to supervise the activities of the Project and report on its progress.

Upon the termination of the Gulfs Project, the Committee continued to work on the development of the fisheries sector. However, it experienced a slowdown in its activities during the 1980s. It met only twice during a period characterized by the tense atmosphere of two wars (1980-1988 and 1990/1991). But a new spirit of cooperation and collaboration began with the Seventh Session, held in 1992, which marked the beginning of a surge of activity, supported by the determination of the members whose attitude was very positive. Technical Working Groups were established to tackle specific issues. Six Groups were eventually formed, holding ten meetings in all. Their initial results provided an opportunity to lay down the basis for scientific management of fishery resources and opened avenues for local scientists, experts, and research workers to report on and develop their scientific work.

In all, the Gulfs Committee held nine regular Sessions. Three Ad Hoc Sessions were held to consider the Committee’s future and the formation of its successor. During its lifetime of 28 years, it established a firm basis in fisheries development and management, activities that had been almost non-existent. It helped develop local expertise and initiated the development of fisheries through the Gulfs Project, and later through the activities of the technical Working Groups. It laid the foundation for rational management of the area’s fisheries resources on a national and regional basis. There were several shortcomings, which mainly affected the regional level. The Committee failed to agree on a follow-up to the Gulfs Project, thus depriving the region of the capacity to monitor and control fisheries resources at a regional level. The regional database was also not established as agreed. There were several constraints that the Member States could not jointly overcome to support and enhance the work of the Committee.