Background
19. The Executive Committee discussed this agenda item on the basis of documents APFIC: ExCo/03/3; APFIC: ExCo/03/4A; APFIC: ExCo/03/4B; and APFIC: ExCo/03/4C. It noted that since the adoption of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the international community had acceded to numerous international instruments and initiatives pertaining to fisheries and environmental sustainability. However, a number of developing countries had experienced difficulties in implementing some of these instruments and initiatives.
20. The Committee concurred with the conclusions of recent sessions of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) and the Meetings of Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs) organized by FAO, that the latter had a key role to play in bridging the gap between international advice and national responsibility for fisheries management and decision making. The Committee emphasized that APFIC had a particular role to play in the Asia-Pacific Region in this respect. It was also noted that many RFBs fulfilled their mission through collecting and providing scientific information and data in support of fisheries management and sustainable development; serving as technical and policy fora for the exchange of information for fisheries governance; and taking action pertaining to the conservation, management and responsible utilization of aquatic resources.
21. The Committee further noted that since the early seventies a number of regional fisheries bodies and/or arrangements concerned with fisheries and environment had emerged. There are currently more than 20 organizations and arrangements at the global, regional and sub-regional levels that relate to the Asia-Pacific region. Although a few of these bodies such as the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) were established under conventions for the specific purpose of managing individual fish stocks, the majority, including the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC), have only an advisory role.
22. In recent years, a number of less publicized initiatives, programmes and projects related to fisheries and the environments have also been carried out. These include the Asia-Pacific Group of Fisheries and Aquatic Research (GOFAR) under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research (APAARI); the Asian Fisheries Society; the East Asian Sea Congress; the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS); UNEP Regional Seas Programme and several large marine ecosystem projects. The Committee observed that opportunities for closer collaboration between RFBs, GOOS, Regional Seas Programme and large marine ecosystem initiatives had been highlighted at the most recent session of COFI and the Meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies organized by FAO.
23. Taking into account the numerous fisheries bodies, arrangements and initiatives in the region, the Committee thought that it would be advisable for APFIC to increase its liaison with these bodies and arrangements. In considering the future role of the Commission, it was recommended that the types and subject matter of these bodies, arrangements and initiatives had to be taken into account. It was agreed that the Secretariat should prepare a summary handbook on regional and sub-regional fisheries bodies and arrangements, for the benefit of the APFIC Members.
Future role of APFIC
24. The Committee unanimously agreed that since APFIC is a Members’ organization, the lack of interest from the majority of its Members in the Commission’s activities would render it ineffective and lead eventually to its demise. Therefore, APFIC must alter its role in order to survive. The Committee was heartened to note that most of the Members of APFIC still wished to see the Commission continue its functions. The majority had expressed their wish to see APFIC assume a role as a Regional Consultative Body to promote integration of the regional activities relating to fisheries. This was expressed on at least two occasions, viz., at the Twenty-seventh Session of APFIC (Manila, the Philippines, 2001) and in the responses to the letter of the FAO Director-General received in June 2002 as indicated above.
25. The Committee believed that the reasons to support APFIC assuming the role of a Regional Consultative Body included:
(i) APFIC is the only broad regional mechanisms that can bridge the gap between RFBs that are emerging or in operation; regional seas programmes; and other initiatives dealing with resources and environment conservation and management, for example, large marine ecosystem programmes.
(ii) Other marine RFBs in the region do not collectively cover all the fisheries management needs for the region. For example, SEAFDEC is limited only to ASEAN and the South China Sea; the Bay of Bengal Inter-governmental Organization has a limited membership; and the Yellow Sea is not governed by a fisheries management body.
(iii) With the exception of NACA (concerned mainly with aquaculture management and development) and MRC (concerned mainly with sustainable development of the riparian countries of the Mekong River Basin), there is no competent body concerned with inland fisheries development and management.
(iv) Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture development activities have not yet achieved the long-term goal of poverty alleviation and food security for the large rural populations in the Asia-Pacific region.
(v) There is a continuing need by a majority of the Members of the Commission for technology transfer and capacity building on the effective management of fisheries, responsible aquaculture and the protection of the aquatic habitat and environment.
(vi) A gap exists in the flow of appropriate information up to policy makers and down to the grass roots communities.
Regional Consultative Forum
26. To provide an integrating mechanism for APFIC to assume its proposed role, it was agreed that APFIC organize and conduct a Regional Consultative Forum. The Committee then proceeded to consider the Secretariat’s proposal regarding the focus, participation, timing, outcomes, finance and resources for the Forum.
27. The Secretariat advised that the inclusion of the Regional Consultative Forum activity in accordance with the concept endorsed by the ExCo, may require only minor amendments to the APFIC Agreements and its Rules of Procedure, subject to the approval of the Commission. It was agreed that the Forum be recommended to the Commission as a biennial event, taking into account the number of regional events in fisheries, the timing and requirements of COFI as well as the ability of the interested parties to meet their commitments.
Focus for the first Regional Consultative Forum
28. The Committee considered that the theme (‘banner programme’) of the first Regional Consultative Forum should be on small-scale fisheries and aquaculture (both coastal and inland), since these represent areas of common interest to the Members and also are areas of the sector that have been previously neglected, yet represented some of the greatest challenges in terms of development and sustainability. The Committee emphasized that APFIC should not ‘implement projects’ but rather act in a role of bringing together the regional actors in the fisheries sector under the broader issue of small-scale fisheries/aquaculture.
29. The term ‘small-scale fisheries’ was considered by the Committee to encompass not only coastal fisheries but also inland fisheries and should also be extended to include rural aquaculture. All of these parts of the fisheries sector have common issues that are important to the region; such as co-management, devolved management mechanisms and the need for improved information for policy makers and grass root communities.
30. The Committee agreed that this theme of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture would encompass many of the regional issues of interest to the Members. The Forum should have an opportunity to discuss various sub-themes, including policy, management and trade-related issues as well as food security and food safety. This is represented diagrammatically in Appendix D.
31. The Committee agreed that the objectives of the Regional Consultative Forum should be:
(i) To provide the opportunity for countries and relevant international organizations and/or arrangements to examine the state of fisheries of the Asia-Pacific region;
(ii) To make strategic and practical recommendations on how to address relevant issues including information exchange on fisheries; assessment of the implementation of international agreements and requirements; evaluation of new approaches and identification of means to obtain new information and to improve regional capacity for any of these functions.
(iii) To guide, through the work of the Forum, the development of APFIC’s recommendations on trans-boundary issues or issues common to groups of countries;
(iv) To reduce duplication of effort, overlap and redundancy in regional fisheries programming in the Asia-Pacific region; and
(v) To raise awareness of regional problems by communicating the Forum’s recommendations endorsed by the Commission to the FAO Regional Conference and global fora including COFI and other international fora, as well as to aid donors.
32. The Committee envisaged that benefits which could be derived from this Forum included the open discussion of regional fisheries issues and opportunities for technical and policy learning and exchange, thereby increasing the awareness of issues of common interest to the Members of APFIC. Importantly, this Forum would provide the opportunity to raise fisheries issues of groups of States, especially neighboring States and international large-scale projects on environment and wider inter-sectoral issues of marine, coastal and inland water management. The output of the Forum would provide a voice for the region that could then be followed up in international fora such as the FAO Regional Conference and COFI and also contribute to other regional mechanisms such as the Regional Seas program.
Participation
33. It was agreed that the first session of the Forum should be attended by APFIC Members, observer nations, representatives of FAO, relevant RFBs and selected international organizations, including those from regional seas programmes and GOOS as well as international experts invited to speak on specific topics. Wider participation of organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), especially those concerned with fisheries management, should also be considered.
34. The Committee recommended that APFIC invite its Member Governments to consider appointing senior persons with appropriate background to ensure that the sessions of the Regional Consultative Forum and of the Commission provide successful outcomes.
35. The Committee agreed to the proposal that the Secretariat be responsible for the development of an appropriate agenda for the Forum that would take into account the outcome of the immediately preceding COFI session and RFB meetings, as well as the requests of the Members. Furthermore, the Secretariat should solicit suggestions from the concerned regional and sub-regional fisheries bodies and regional seas programmes as well as large marine ecosystem projects.
Outcomes
36. The Committee agreed that the first session of the Regional Consultative Forum be held in conjunction with the Twenty-ninth Session of APFIC and replace the APFIC Symposia, as these arrangements would incur minimal additional expenses over the current budget of APFIC.
37. The Committee agreed that the outcome and recommendations arising from the Forum, which have been endorsed by the Commission, should be communicated widely by the Secretariat to relevant Ministries and universities in the member countries. They should also be disseminated to FAO, in particular to the Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific and to COFI for consideration and appropriate action, in order to raise the awareness of regional issues. Other international fora and relevant RFBs, international programmes and projects as well as NGOs, especially those that are concerned with fisheries management and conservation of living aquatic resources, should be other target audiences. The Committee also agreed that these recommendations would help change the focus of the ad hoc working groups to be set up by the Commission, from general thematic areas as in the past, to specific tasks as required in the future, thus strengthening the role of the Commission in response to the needs of its Members.
Finance and resources
38. The Committee expressed its concern over the expected increase of effort on the part of the Secretariat in organizing the biennial Regional Consultative Forum and in providing a synthesis and development report for presentation to more than one international forum, as well as searching for funding support and organizing further meetings of regional decision-makers and/or aid donors. The Secretariat would also probably be involved in the work of the ad hoc working groups and other work plans as agreed upon by the Commission. The Committee noted that FAO currently provided US$165 000 per biennium in support of the activities of APFIC and the Secretariat. An estimated amount of about US$100 000 might be required for the holding of the Forum independent of the session of APFIC (i.e. in alternate years). The Forum, therefore, will also have to be donor-supported.
39. The Executive Committee agreed to recommend to the Commission the adoption of the Regional Consultative Forum as its main event amongst the activities of APFIC with the objectives, timetable and requirements as summarized in Appendix E.
40. The Committee recommended that the outcomes of the Executive Committee and its recommendations as to the future role of APFIC should be submitted for consideration by the Twenty-seventh Regional Conference for Asia and the Pacific (APRC) to be held in Beijing in May 2004.
