ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967, in Bangkok, with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. At present, its members are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are: i) to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region, through joint endeavours and in the spirit of equality and partnership, in order to strengthen the foundations for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian nations; and ii) to promote regional peace and stability, through maintaining respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and through adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.
TABLE 19 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
856 |
1 007 |
1 520 |
1 830 |
Percentage of world total |
12.0 |
10.9 |
9.6 |
8.5 |
Marine Production (`000 tonnes) |
341 |
596 |
742 |
876 |
Percentage of world total |
7.5 |
9.7 |
6.9 |
6.2 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
971 |
1 036 |
1 128 |
1 319 |
Percentage of world total |
15.7 |
16.7 |
15.2 |
15.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
7 882 |
9 372 |
10 309 |
11 760 |
Percentage of world total |
9.6 |
11.8 |
12.0 |
13.7 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
10 051 |
12 012 |
13 700 |
15 785 |
Percentage of world total |
10.0 |
11.9 |
11.4 |
12.1 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
8 033 |
9 624 |
11 015 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
19.0 |
21.1 |
22.5 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
46.4 |
44.9 |
43.9 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
1 142 |
1 904 |
2 078 |
1 878 |
Percentage of world total |
3.6 |
4.7 |
3.9 |
3.4 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
3 437 |
5 753 |
7 619 |
8 666 |
Percentage of world total |
10.8 |
14.3 |
14.5 |
15.7 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
In consideration of the conceptual framework of the Hanoi Plan of Action to implement the ASEAN Vision 2020, the Senior Officers of the ASEAN Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry (SOM-AMAF) held a Special Meeting from 27 to 29 April 1998 in Phuket, Thailand. At that meeting, it was decided that the Strategic Plan on ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture (including Fisheries) and Forestry (1999-2004) should cover overall cooperation in the three major sectors, with particular emphasis on strengthening food security arrangements in the region, enhancing the international competitiveness of food, agricultural and forest products and strengthening ASEAN's position in international fora.
The Plan's implementation is coordinated by the ASEAN Secretariat. In the field of fisheries and aquaculture, the implementation is carried out by the Sectoral Working Group on Fisheries. Cooperation in fisheries focuses on: the standardization of quality control measures and processing techniques for fish and fishery products; the standardization, and subsequent adoption, of aquaculture practices, particularly for shrimps; the harmonization of fisheries sanitary measures; and the harmonization of regulations for agricultural products (including those from fisheries) derived from biotechnology. In 1994, ASEAN started to collaborate with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC) in promoting the sustainable management and utilization of marine fisheries resources in the Southeast Asia region. ASEAN-SEAFDEC cooperation has strengthened further in recent years, especially since the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Fisheries Consultative Group was established in 1999.
The Special Meeting of SOM-AMAF, held in April 2000 in Brunei, decided on the implementation of seven ASEAN-SEAFDEC collaborative programmes (all of which have already been started). The programmes cover: the upgrading of the traditional fish processing industry; promotion of mangrove-friendly aquaculture; conservation and management of the sea turtle; regionalization of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries; development of a fish disease diagnostical inspection mechanism; improvement of fisheries statistics; and fish trade and environment. The Special Meeting also decided to organize an ASEAN-SEAFDEC Conference on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security in the New Millennium (Fish for the People), which took place in November 2001. This Conference approved the Resolution on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security for the ASEAN Region and a related Plan of Action.
Member countries of ASEAN and its Fisheries Working Group do cooperate closely with FAO through the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok. The ASEAN-SEAFDEC Conference on Sustainable Fisheries for Food Security in the New Millennium (Fish for the People) was prepared in collaboration with FAO.
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY AND COMMON MARKET
The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas on 4 July 1973 for the principal purpose of enhancing, through cooperation, the economic, social and cultural development of the populations of member countries. CARICOM'S members are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
In fisheries, CARICOM aims to "promote the development of the fisheries subsector in member states with a view to optimal exploitation of their resources on a sustainable basis". It intends to do this by strengthening the legal and institutional framework, in part through the formulation and implementation of a common CARICOM Fisheries Policy.
The CARICOM Fisheries Unit, located in Belize, was established in 1991 to execute the CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Program (CFRAMP), which ended in 2001. It was funded jointly by the Canadian Government, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and participating CARICOM countries. One of the outcomes of CFRAMP is the formation of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). In February 2002, the heads of government of CARICOM member countries signed the Inter-Governmental Agreement that established the CRFM.
The mission of the CARICOM Fisheries Unit includes: improving the quality and availability of fisheries resource information, including improving fisheries management information systems; strengthening the capacity of national fisheries administrations to manage fisheries; promoting fishers' involvement in development; implementing and monitoring fishery management plans; improving scientific capability in the region's fishery sector; supporting Caribbean researchers and managers in the sustainable management of aquatic resources; supporting the development of a multi-stakeholders approach to coastal zone management; and promoting the rational use and management of fisheries resources in the Caribbean.
TABLE 20 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
3 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
87 |
101 |
107 |
172 |
Percentage of world total |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
92 |
107 |
114 |
182 |
Percentage of world total |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
146 |
143 |
162 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
11.7 |
10.8 |
11.7 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
19.2 |
18.9 |
18.8 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
67 |
55 |
98 |
102 |
Percentage of world total |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
82 |
106 |
141 |
211 |
Percentage of world total |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
The CARICOM Fisheries Unit is currently executing the following projects:
CARICOM and FAO have cooperated closely over the past decades on various aspects of fisheries, including policy and legal matters. FAO has provided technical assistance to CFRAMP in specific areas since its inception in 1991 and, over the past four years, FAO and CFRAMP have collaborated in implementing joint technical activities through the Western Central Atlantic Fisheries Commission (WECAFC). Such activities have included training in stock assessment and the assessment of major fish stocks (e.g. spiny lobster, penaeid shrimp, flying fish) in the WECAFC region. Over the past two years, FAO has provided technical support to member countries of the Organization of Caribbean States and Barbados (a subset of CARICOM member countries) through an FAO Technical Cooperation Programme on the development of standards for the construction and inspection of small fishing vessels. At present, FAO is providing assistance through the Technical Cooperation Programme project, Preparation for an Expansion of the Domestic Fisheries for Large Pelagic Species.
COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was established in December 1991. It is a voluntary association consisting of the following States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. The main purpose of the Commonwealth is to develop and strengthen cooperation and to serve the cause of peace and security.
To date, no common fisheries policy among countries of the CIS has been elaborated. Coordination is achieved through bilateral and multilateral agreements among the member countries, which can be divided into two groups:
i) states that have inland water fisheries and aquaculture activities only (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan); and
ii) states that have a well-developed distant-water fisheries sector (the Russian Federation, Ukraine and - to a certain extent - Georgia).
Most CIS countries have concentrated on the restructuring of their fleets and on the processing and marketing sectors.
TABLE 21 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
307 |
213 |
99 |
120 |
Percentage of world total |
4.3 |
2.3 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
679 |
441 |
306 |
359 |
Percentage of world total |
11.0 |
7.1 |
4.1 |
4.1 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
8 952 |
5 707 |
4 853 |
4 072 |
Percentage of world total |
10.9 |
7.2 |
5.6 |
4.7 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
9 939 |
6 362 |
5 261 |
4 552 |
Percentage of world total |
9.9 |
6.3 |
4.4 |
3.5 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
... |
3 519 |
3 759 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
... |
12.4 |
13.2 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
... |
10.1 |
10.5 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
- |
35 |
574 |
443 |
Percentage of world total |
- |
0.1 |
1.1 |
0.8 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
... |
826 |
1 780 |
1 466 |
Percentage of world total |
... |
2.1 |
3.4 |
2.7 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
To date there is no agreed policy within the CIS countries concerning their cooperation with FAO. Each State acts independently in fishery matters.
ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES
The Treaty of Lagos, which established the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was signed by representatives of 15 West African States in Lagos on 28 May 1975. At present, the following countries adhere to the treaty: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, the Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
The ECOWAS Treaty specifies the Community's objective, to be achieved in stages, as being the creation of an economic and monetary union. Cooperation in the development of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fisheries is one of its primary aims. The first stage in this cooperation entails the harmonization of internal and external policies; the second stage envisages the adoption of a common agricultural policy.
TABLE 22 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
11 |
17 |
21 |
28 |
Percentage of world total |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
0 |
1 |
... |
... |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
... |
... |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
333 |
330 |
390 |
435 |
Percentage of world total |
5.4 |
5.3 |
5.2 |
4.9 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
975 |
1 201 |
1 322 |
1 390 |
Percentage of world total |
1.2 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
1.6 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
1 320 |
1 549 |
1 734 |
1 854 |
Percentage of world total |
1.3 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
1 816 |
1 857 |
2 173 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
11.2 |
10.3 |
10.8 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
32.6 |
31.7 |
32.8 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
343 |
479 |
578 |
509 |
Percentage of world total |
1.1 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
425 |
425 |
791 |
603 |
Percentage of world total |
1.3 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
1.1 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
Based on the recommendations of the Industry, Agriculture and Natural Resources Commission at its meeting in Cotonou, Benin, in April 1980, ECOWAS organized a conference of experts in Dakar, Senegal, to develop national policies to ensure better management and surveillance of waters under the jurisdiction of its Member States and also to ensure the conservation of fisheries resources in the region. Several recommendations were made concerning research, surveillance, the harmonization of fishing agreements and legislation, trade in fish and fishery products, data collection, etc. Members have made progress in implementing such recommendations.
ECOWAS's formal relationship with FAO is based on an exchange of letters between the Director-General of FAO and the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS. A Cooperation Agreement was established with FAO in December 1984, since which time FAO has been cooperating with the Community in various fields. However, as an organization, ECOWAS is not a member of any of FAO's statutory bodies.
In the mid-1990s, at the request of ECOWAS, FAO carried out a study entitled Economic development of fisheries, which made special reference to aspects of fisheries by foreign vessels off West Africa. In its conclusions, the study emphasized the necessity and the opportunities for regional cooperation in support of fisheries management and regional food security. Furthermore, FAO regional fishery projects have been cooperating with ECOWAS Member States, especially in promoting fisheries management in the artisanal subsector.
The Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. In 1993, the Treaty of Maastricht established the European Union (EU) as a broader framework which retained the EEC, now the European Community (EC), as a legal entity. The aims of the EC include the abolition of restrictive trading practices and the free movement of capital and labour within the union. A single market with free movement of goods and capital was established in January 1993. The following countries are members of the EC: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
TABLE 23 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
195 |
226 |
250 |
240 |
Percentage of world total |
2.7 |
2.4 |
1.6 |
1.1 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
714 |
686 |
889 |
1 049 |
Percentage of world total |
15.7 |
11.2 |
8.2 |
7.4 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
97 |
96 |
104 |
86 |
Percentage of world total |
1.6 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
1.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
7 037 |
6 570 |
6 507 |
5 861 |
Percentage of world total |
8.5 |
8.3 |
7.6 |
6.8 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
8 043 |
7 578 |
7 750 |
7 236 |
Percentage of world total |
8.0 |
7.5 |
6.4 |
5.5 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
7 795 |
8 358 |
8 805 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
21.5 |
22.7 |
23.5 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
9.3 |
9.9 |
10.3 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
12 261 |
17 270 |
19 352 |
19 609 |
Percentage of world total |
38.7 |
43.0 |
36.7 |
35.5 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
6 400 |
8 580 |
11 000 |
11 398 |
Percentage of world total |
20.2 |
21.4 |
20.9 |
20.6 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the EC's instrument for the conservation and management of fisheries and aquaculture. It was created with the aims of managing a common resource and meeting the obligation set in the original Community Treaties. Wild fish are a natural and mobile resource that is considered common property. The treaties creating the Community stated that there should be a common policy in this area; that is, common rules adopted at the Community level and implemented in all Member States. DG Fisheries is the Directorate-General responsible for the CFP, which is scheduled to be reviewed in 2002.
The CFP came into existence in 1983, although the first elements of this policy had already been introduced in 1970. Since then, it has been developed and adjusted continuously in accordance with international developments and changes within the EC itself. The CFP takes into account the biological, economic, social and environmental dimensions of fishing. Its implementation entails the following main issues and related measures.
Conservation and responsible fishing. The EC policy for the conservation of fishery resources focuses on:
Fishing beyond Community waters. The EC has exclusive competence in international relations in the domain of fisheries. It is empowered to undertake international commitments towards third countries or international organizations in matters relating to fisheries. The European Commission, on behalf of the Community, negotiates fisheries agreements with third countries and participates in various regional fisheries organizations. The EC has concluded 21 fishing agreements with third countries and is currently a member of nine regional fisheries organizations. The EC is also member of FAO.
Restructuring the fishing sector. Restructuring of the EC fisheries sector relies heavily on the implementation of the structural policy, the purpose of which is to adapt and manage the development of structures (the equipment required to produce goods and the organization of production processes) in the fishing and aquaculture industry. EC assistance in the fisheries sector is provided under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). The FIFG aims to:
Common organization of the market. The EC set up a system for the common organization of the market for fisheries and aquaculture products almost 30 years ago. Since July 1996, the common market organization in fisheries and aquaculture products has been being adapted to increased globalization of markets, greater dependence on imports, continued scarcity of resources, change in consumption patterns and concentration and vertical integration within the distribution chain. The common organization of the EC market has four components:
Enforcement of the law in the fishing sector. The 1992 review of the CFP stressed the need to make the policy more effective. A new control regulation, created in 1993, reinforced the role of surveillance and extended the CFP's domain of action from that of direct conservation measures to one that also included implementation of structural policy, marketing, transport and sale of fish and shellfish. The new regulation also encouraged harmonization of the proceedings and penalties against wrongdoers across the EC. Information technology was to be used to complement traditional monitoring methods. Fishing surveillance has also been substantially strengthened by the setting up of a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS).
Fishing and the wider environment. In 1997, a ministerial meeting on the integration of fisheries and environmental issues, held in Bergen, Norway, and attended by ministers from all North Sea States and by EC representatives, agreed on a so-called "ecosystem approach" to marine environments, which included elements of the precautionary approach. More recently, a group of nations and the EC adopted the Reykjavik Declaration in October 2001. The Declaration pledged that they would "in an effort to reinforce responsible and sustainable fisheries in the marine ecosystem, ... work on incorporating ecosystem considerations into that management to that aim." Given the commitment demonstrated by various states and international organizations, including the EC, to integrating an environmental dimension into their policies, greater effort is now being made to implement a strategy for enhancing the integration of environmental protection requirements into the CFP.
The international dimension of fisheries in relation to environmental issues has acquired greater importance for the EC in recent years. Bilateral and multilateral negotiations with third countries have increased, as have negotiations within regional fisheries organizations and international bodies. International trade of fish and fishery products has also become more important for the Community, especially in relation to import trade as well as to environmental issues and health and safety standards of fish and fishery products.
Review of the CFP. EC legislation foresees a review of the CFP during 2002. It also provides that, before 31 December 2002, the Council shall decide on any necessary adjustments to be made. In March 2001, the Commission published a report on the fisheries situation in the EC and a Green Paper on the future of the CFP, which discusses the weaknesses and challenges facing the CFP and presents a number of options for its reform. On the basis of that Green Paper, the Commission launched wide consultation with all interested parties and, on 28 May 2002, issued the Communication from the Commission on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. This document presents a brief review of the crucial issues to be addressed by CFP reform, taking into account the outcome of the recent debate. It also states that the reform must lead to a new CFP that is capable of providing sustainable development in environmental, economic and social terms. This will be achieved through measures aimed at meeting several CFP objectives: responsible and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture activities that contribute to healthy marine ecosystems; an economically viable and competitive fisheries and aquaculture industry that benefits the consumer; and a fair standard of living for those who depend on fishing activities. In order for the CFP to function effectively it is essential that it include good governance principles. The reforms that have been proposed regard the nine areas: resources conservation and fisheries management; repercussions of the conservation policy on the fishing fleet; access to waters and resources; control and enforcement; international fisheries; aquaculture; the social dimension of the CFP; economic management of fisheries in the EC; and effective and participatory decision-making. Measures to pursue, objectives to be achieved and a package of reforms are proposed.
The EC is a full member of FAO. The EC is also a member of most FAO regional fishery bodies and participates actively in the work of several of these.
In the recent past, the EC has provided funds to support FAO work in the implementation of its international agreements and plans of action for improved global management of fishing capacity, shark fisheries, incidental catch of seabirds in longline fisheries and illegal, unreported and urregulated (IUU) fishing.
LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM
The Latin American Economic System (LAES) is a regional intergovernmental organization that groups 28 Latin American and Caribbean countries: Argentina, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. LAES was established on 17 October 1975 by the Panama Convention.
The objectives of LAES are to promote a system for consultation and coordination, aiming to achieve consensus in the form of joint positions and common strategies on economic issues for the Latin American and Caribbean region. The common strategies may be for individual countries or groups of countries. LAES also serves to promote cooperation and integration among the countries of the region.
The Action Committees of LAES are flexible cooperation mechanisms set up when more than two Member States voice interest in promoting joint programmes and projects in specific areas. These committees are dissolved once their objectives are fulfilled, otherwise they may become Permanent Bodies of the System.
At present, LAES has no Action Committees, but it does have two functioning cooperation mechanisms. One of these - the Latin American Organization for Fisheries Development (OLDEPESCA) - has the objectives of promoting the rational exploitation of fisheries in the region and coordinating joint actions with its Member States: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.
TABLE 24 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
46 |
84 |
165 |
282 |
Percentage of world total |
0.6 |
0.9 |
1.0 |
1.3 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
99 |
219 |
387 |
556 |
Percentage of world total |
2.2 |
3.6 |
3.6 |
3.9 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
500 |
439 |
486 |
472 |
Percentage of world total |
8.1 |
7.1 |
6.5 |
5.4 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
15 777 |
17 385 |
21 066 |
19 247 |
Percentage of world total |
19.1 |
21.9 |
24.5 |
22.4 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
16 421 |
18 127 |
22 104 |
20 557 |
Percentage of world total |
16.4 |
18.0 |
18.4 |
15.8 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
3 569 |
3 769 |
4 706 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
8.5 |
8.4 |
9.8 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
7.8 |
7.4 |
7.8 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
358 |
472 |
1 049 |
1 022 |
Percentage of world total |
1.1 |
1.2 |
2.0 |
1.9 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
3 139 |
4 243 |
6 633 |
6 544 |
Percentage of world total |
9.9 |
10.6 |
12.6 |
11.9 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
There is a long record of cooperation in technical activities between FAO and LAES. Initially the forum for this cooperation was the Action Committee of Sea and Fresh-water Products. When this action committee was dissolved, OLDEPESCA was established, and this independent body has become the centre of cooperation. FAO usually attends the annual OLDEPESCA conferences of Fisheries Ministers.
The League of Arab States, more generally known as the Arab League, was established on 22 March 1945. It comprises Algeria, Bahrain, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Mauritania, Mayotte, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The broad objectives of the Arab League are to develop cooperation and strengthen complementarity among the Member States in economic, cultural, scientific, social and military fields. To do so, the League has set up several specialized agencies. Those of interest to FAO are: the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (Khartoum, the Sudan); the Arab Centre for the Study of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (Damascus, the Syrian Arab Republic); the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (Kuwait); the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (Tunis, Tunisia); the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (Khartoum, the Sudan); the Arab Academy for Science, and Maritime Transport (Alexandria, Egypt); and the Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation (Kuwait).
TABLE 25 | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
61 |
74 |
84 |
315 |
Percentage of world total |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
1.5 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
1 |
9 |
15 |
51 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
222 |
241 |
301 |
319 |
Percentage of world total |
3.6 |
3.9 |
4.1 |
3.6 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
1 348 |
1 296 |
1 433 |
1 767 |
Percentage of world total |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.7 |
2.1 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
1 632 |
1 620 |
1 833 |
2 451 |
Percentage of world total |
1.6 |
1.6 |
1.5 |
1.9 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
1 181 |
1 370 |
1 590 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
5.5 |
5.8 |
6.2 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
8.3 |
9.8 |
9.8 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
248 |
259 |
395 |
473 |
Percentage of world total |
0.8 |
0.6 |
0.7 |
0.9 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
754 |
841 |
1 102 |
1 323 |
Percentage of world total |
2.4 |
2.1 |
2.1 |
2.4 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
The League of Arab States has no subsidiary body or institution that deals exclusively with fisheries matters.
FAO has participated in several meetings organized by subsidiary bodies of the Arab League. The Organization has attended and partly sponsored meetings of the Arab Federation of Fish Producers (AFFP), which is a subsidiary of the Council for Arab Economic Union. In 1998, FAO was represented at the Conference on the Development of Marine Fisheries in the Arab World, organized by the Council.
NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Canada, Mexico and the United States of America are members of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which came into effect on 1 January 1994. NAFTA's main aims are to contribute to the expansion of world trade; create, expand and secure markets for the goods produced in their territories; reduce distortions to trade; create new employment opportunities and improve working conditions and living standards in their respective territories; and address related environmental and conservation issues.
NAFTA is a trading block of global reach. It is innovative, as it establishes linkages between economies with different levels of economic development. Current discussions envisage the linking of existing subregional integration schemes, of which NAFTA is one, into a Free Trade Area of the Americas.
NAFTA does not have any particular activities concerned with fisheries.
To date, there is no cooperation between NAFTA and FAO on fisheries matters. NAFTA member countries deal individually with FAO in this field.
TABLE 26 | ||||
NAFTA: fisheries and aquaculture production, food balance and trade | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
252 |
297 |
303 |
357 |
Percentage of world total |
3.5 |
3.2 |
1.9 |
1.7 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
147 |
188 |
194 |
248 |
Percentage of world total |
3.2 |
3.1 |
1.8 |
1.8 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
262 |
200 |
194 |
173 |
Percentage of world total |
4.2 |
3.2 |
2.6 |
2.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
8 343 |
7 440 |
7 176 |
6 880 |
Percentage of world total |
10.1 |
9.4 |
8.3 |
8.0 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
9 003 |
8 126 |
7 867 |
7 659 |
Percentage of world total |
9.0 |
8.1 |
6.5 |
5.9 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
6 541 |
7 298 |
7 263 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
18.3 |
19.5 |
18.4 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
6.8 |
7.4 |
7.3 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
6 021 |
6 785 |
8 321 |
11 983 |
Percentage of world total |
19.0 |
16.9 |
15.8 |
21.7 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
5 087 |
5 985 |
6 178 |
6 580 |
Percentage of world total |
16.0 |
14.9 |
11.7 |
11.9 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 by the Heads of State and Government of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. SAARC's main goal is to accelerate economic and social development in Member States through joint action in certain agreed areas of cooperation. To achieve this objective SAARC seeks to:
TABLE 27 | ||||
SAARC: fisheries and aquaculture production, food balance and trade | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
1 050 |
1 581 |
2 045 |
2 673 |
Percentage of world total |
14.7 |
17.0 |
12.9 |
12.5 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
37 |
63 |
148 |
119 |
Percentage of world total |
0.8 |
1.0 |
1.4 |
0.8 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
986 |
935 |
1 345 |
1 697 |
Percentage of world total |
15.9 |
15.1 |
18.1 |
19.3 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
2 615 |
3 458 |
3 816 |
3 966 |
Percentage of world total |
3.2 |
4.4 |
4.4 |
4.6 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
4 687 |
6 038 |
7 354 |
8 455 |
Percentage of world total |
4.7 |
6.0 |
6.1 |
6.5 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
4 093 |
5 076 |
6 265 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
3.9 |
4.4 |
5.1 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
12.4 |
13.3 |
14.1 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
38 |
61 |
79 |
89 |
Percentage of world total |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
0.2 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
765 |
1 012 |
1 680 |
2 102 |
Percentage of world total |
2.4 |
2.5 |
3.2 |
3.8 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
The Integrated Programme of Action is the key component of SAARC's activities. It now includes 11 areas of cooperation, each covered by a Technical Committee: Agriculture; Communications; Education; Culture and Sports; Environment and Meteorology; Health and Population Activities; Prevention of Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse; Rural Development, Science and Technology; Tourism; Transport; and Women in Development. Regular meetings of counterpart scientists are a very important feature of the Technical Committee on Agriculture, and a list of fisheries counterpart scientists has also been prepared and made available.
SAARC does not cooperate formally with FAO in fisheries or aquaculture.
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
The Declaration and Treaty establishing the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was signed at the Summit of Heads of Government in Windhoek, Namibia, in August 1992. Its member countries are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The objectives of the SADC are to:
TABLE 28 | ||||
SADC: fisheries and aquaculture production, food balance and trade | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
3 |
7 |
7 |
8 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.1 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
1 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
679 |
632 |
583 |
631 |
Percentage of world total |
11.0 |
10.2 |
7.8 |
7.2 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
1 556 |
1 205 |
947 |
1 289 |
Percentage of world total |
1.9 |
1.5 |
1.1 |
1.5 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
2 239 |
1 846 |
1 540 |
1 930 |
Percentage of world total |
2.2 |
1.8 |
1.3 |
1.5 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
1 525 |
1 327 |
1 244 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
10.3 |
8.0 |
6.7 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
22.6 |
18.3 |
17.3 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
224 |
231 |
286 |
195 |
Percentage of world total |
0.6 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
200 |
299 |
602 |
892 |
Percentage of world total |
0.6 |
0.7 |
1.1 |
1.6 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
SADC's work related to specific sectors has been handled by Sector Coordinating Units (SCUs). These were allocated to individual Member States, who provided coordination, leadership and guidance on the formulation, implementation and management of sector-specific policies, programmes and projects. A Sectoral Committee of Ministers, chaired by the coordinating country's minister for the sector, supervised the sectoral activities. There are currently 21 such SCUs. At present, however, SADC is undergoing an institutional restructuring process, which involves strengthening the SADC Secretariat based in Gaborone and phasing out the SCUs within the next two years. As part of this restructuring, in December 2001, SADC launched a new Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Directorate (FANR) which deals with eight subsectors, including Marine Fisheries and Resources. FANR is gradually assuming responsibility for marine fisheries and resources, and the previous Council of Ministers decision to allocate such responsibility to Namibia's Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (taken in 1991) has been cancelled.
One of SADC's most important recent achievements in the field of marine and inland fisheries and aquaculture is the Protocol on Fisheries, which was adopted during the Summit of Heads of State and Government in August 2001. The Protocol is inspired by the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and aims to promote the responsible use of living aquatic resources in the SADC region. Specialist committees and technical working groups have been established to this end.
SADC has also identified and analysed priorities for marine policy issues within the region with a view to developing a strategy to support the harmonization of fisheries policy and the legal framework, based on the principles established by the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Protocol on Fisheries. This process received technical and financial assistance from an FAO Technical Cooperation Programme project.
The SCU of marine and fisheries resources is coordinating the implementation of seven projects that focus on the priority areas for the sector: the Regional Fisheries Information System; SADC monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of fishing activities; support to the SADC Marine Fisheries Sector SCU; and Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem programmes.
Funding of more than US$60 million, for current SADC marine fisheries projects over the next five years, has been committed.
SADC and FAO cooperate closely in relation to fishery matters. FAO is providing technical and financial assistance to two of the projects being implemented by the SCU for marine and fisheries resources.
The South Pacific Forum (SPF), consisting of Heads of Government, was established in 1971. It provides an opportunity to discuss a wide variety of South Pacific and international concerns and issues common to members, including the promotion of a free trade area in the South Pacific region. In 1998, the members of the SPF and its affiliated agencies were: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The SPF has a Secretariat (Forum Secretariat) which promotes regional cooperation among members on important economic issues.
The South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) was established as a specialized agency by the SPF in 1979. The FFA Convention reflects the common concerns of member countries regarding conservation, optimum utilization and coastal states' sovereign rights over the region's living marine resources. The functions of FFA include accumulating detailed and up-to-date information on aspects of living marine resources in the region; evaluating and analysing data to provide clear, timely, concise, complete and accurate advice to member countries; developing and maintaining a communication network for the dissemination of information to member countries, and implementing policies and programmes that been approved by the Forum Fisheries Committee. The following are the main functions and objectives of FFA.
Economics and marketing. Assistance is given to member countries in the formulation of policies and identification of projects for the sustained use of their tuna resources (the main areas covered are tuna management, industry, marketing, fisheries access, training and linkages).
TABLE 29 | ||||
SPF: fisheries and aquaculture production, food balance and trade | ||||
1988 |
1992 |
1996 |
2000 | |
Aquaculture production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Percentage of world total |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
39 |
66 |
98 |
124 |
Percentage of world total |
0.9 |
1.1 |
0.9 |
0.9 |
Fisheries production |
||||
Inland production (`000 tonnes) |
22 |
23 |
19 |
22 |
Percentage of world total |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.3 |
0.3 |
Marine production (`000 tonnes) |
588 |
856 |
824 |
1 031 |
Percentage of world total |
0.7 |
1.1 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
Fisheries and aquaculture production |
||||
Combined total (`000 tonnes) |
650 |
947 |
943 |
1 181 |
Percentage of world total |
0.6 |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.9 |
Food balance |
||||
Total food supply (`000 tonnes) |
522 |
537 |
584 |
... |
Per capita supply (kg) |
20.9 |
20.2 |
20.7 |
... |
Fish as share of animal protein (%) |
8.8 |
8.6 |
9.2 |
... |
Trade in fishery commodities |
||||
Total imports (US$ millions) |
415 |
483 |
599 |
610 |
Percentage of world total |
1.3 |
1.2 |
1.1 |
1.1 |
Total exports (US$ millions) |
1 095 |
1 372 |
1 743 |
1 767 |
Percentage of world total |
3.5 |
3.4 |
3.3 |
3.2 |
Note: ... = data not available. | ||||
Legal services. Support is provided to strengthen member countries in the understanding of their legal responsibilities and rights and ability to fulfil responsibilities and take advantage of rights. This support includes the provision of advice in the fields of international law, national legislation, illegal fishing, access negotiations and of training for responsible lawyers and officers within member countries. FFA is simultaneously assisting members in achieving full and independent legislative control of their fisheries resources and ensuring the necessary regional compatibility and cohesion.
Monitoring, control and surveillance. MCS activities aim at reinforcing the capacity of fishing operators in member countries to comply with national regulations and regional licence conditions. This function includes such actions as: assistance to member countries in developing and coordinating national MCS plans; coordination of regional observer programmes and assistance to the development of national observer programmes; coordination of regional surveillance operations; collection and dissemination of data in support of national MCS operations; assistance to FFA members in determining their maritime boundaries; and provision of training, advice and regional exchanges on enforcement and technological developments. FFA's achievements in this field include:
The FFA also undertakes corporate and treaty services, including the establishment and maintenance of administrative systems that meet the requirements of treaties and agreements for which FFA is responsible. In the field of information technology and communication, FFA has developed an innovative and sophisticated computer system that provides support in the reception, processing and transfer of information to facilitate the monitoring and control of foreign fishing fleets as well as to increase the speed, efficiency and cost-effectiveness with which FFA conducts its work.
FFA has brought important economic and social benefits to its members. Small island developing states have benefited, in particular through regional cooperation and the adoption of regional minimum standards. Regionally agreed measures to limit fishing effort (e.g. in the purse seine tuna fishery) have also been of tangible benefit to FFA member countries.
FFA has formal relations with FAO, which cooperates with the agency on a range of technical issues, including such matters as joint training exercises and exchanges of technical information. FAO participates in the annual Forum Fisheries Committee meeting as an observer.
FAO also participates as an observer in the Preparatory Conference for the Establishment of the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. This conference is preparing for the establishment of the Commission after the entry into force of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific.