An important development in the Southern Oceans has been the reduction in krill harvests. While the catch has been about 300,000 t in recent years, in the 1992/93 season it fell to about 87,000 t because of a reduction in Russian and Ukrainian fishing effort for this species. Surveys indicated an abundance of 30.8 million t of krill in Area 48. A resource issue of particular concern was that "significant" numbers of juvenile icefish, Champsocephalus gunnari , and other species were being taken as by-catch in the krill fishery.
No catches of icefish were reported for 1992/3. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), set low quotas for icefish following stock assessments, but the decline in catches has been predominantly due to a couple of large declines in biomass detected by UK trawl surveys. The cause(s) of these major declines is unknown but is believed to be related to the recent poor years for krill. The only reported catches of finfish species in the CCAMLR Convention area during the 1992/3 season were of Patagonian toothfish, Dissostichus eleginoides , of which 5,771 t were taken in subareas 48.3 and 58.5.1 combined. Concern is arising within the Commission regarding the control of this straddling stock in areas that lie immediately outside the CCAMLR Convention Area.
Established by the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, signed in Washington D.C. on 2 December 1946 and entered into force on 10 November 1948. The Convention was amended in 1956 and the Schedule to the Convention is amended annually.
Area of Competence
The Convention applies to factory ships, land stations, and whale catchers under the jurisdiction of the Contracting Governments, and to all waters in which whaling is prosecuted by such factory ships, land stations, and whale catchers.
Species Covered
The 1946 Convention refers to the proper conservation of "whale stocks" and does not define the species covered by the term "whale". Contracting Governments are not of one view on such a definition. When formulating the Convention, the 1946 International Whaling Conference adopted a recommendation that a chart of Nomenclature of whales, annexed to the Final Act of the Conference, be accepted as a guide by the governments represented at the Conference. This list included in toto the baleen, sperm and bottlenose whales. Several Contracting Governments are of the view that the Commission is not empowered to recommend management measures for those species of small cetaceans which are not included in the list.
In 1972, a Sub-Committee of the Scientific Committee was set up to improve data collection on all world catches of small cetaceans and to review species and stock identification. At its Twenty-Seventh Session in 1976, the Commission noted the Scientific Committee's view that there was a need for an international body to manage stocks of all cetaceans not covered by the IWC Schedule. In 1990, IWC requested the Scientific Committee to commence a process of drawing together all available relevant information on the present status of the stocks of small cetaceans which are subjected to significant directed and incidental takes, on the impact of those takes on the stocks, and providing an assessment of the present threats to the stocks concerned.
Membership
The membership of the Commission is open to all States who wish to ratify or adhere to the Convention. The present members of the Commission are: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, People's Republic of China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Germany, Grenada, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Russian Federation, Saint Kilts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA and Venezuela.
Objectives and Activities
The purpose of the Convention is to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry. The main duty of the Commission is to keep under review and revise as necessary the measures laid down in the Schedule to the Convention which govern the conduct of whaling throughout the world. These measures, among other things, provide for the complete protection of certain species; designate specified areas as whale sanctuaries; set limits on the numbers and size of whales which may be taken; prescribe open and closed seasons and areas of whaling; and prohibit the capture of suckling calves and female whales accompanied by calves. In 1975 a new management policy for whales was adopted by the IWC. This was designed to bring all stocks to the levels providing the greatest long-term harvests, by setting catch limits for individual stocks below their sustainable yields. Because of uncertainties in the scientific analyses and therefore the precise status of the various whale stocks, the IWC decided at its meeting in 1982 that there should be a pause in commercial whaling on all stocks from 1985/1986. A revised management procedure has been developed subsequently, which the Commission accepted and endorsed in 1994. This balances the somewhat conflicting requirements to ensure that the risk to individual stocks is not seriously increased, while maintaining the highest continuing yield. The regulatory measures adopted by the Commission are subject to an objection procedure.
Established by the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources drawn up at Canberra on 20 May 1980 and entered into force on 7 April 1982.
Area of Competence
The area of competence of the CCAMLR is the area south of the line joining the following points along parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude:
50oS, 0o, 50oS, 30oE, 45oS, 30oE, 45oS, 80oE, 55oS, 150oE, 60oS, 150oE, 60oS, 50oS, 50oW, 50oS, 0o.
This area coincides exactly with FAO statistical areas 48, 58 and 88 (Map 25).
Species Covered
The Convention applies to the Antarctic marine living resources defined by the Convention as: "the populations of finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, and all other species of living organisms, including birds, found south of the Antarctic Convergence".
Membership
The Convention is open for accession by any State interested in research or harvesting activities in relation to the marine living resources to which the Convention applies. In addition, the Convention is also open for accession by regional economic integration organizations constituted by sovereign States which include among their members one or more States Members of the Commission and to which the States members of the organization have transferred, in whole or in part, competence with regard to the matters covered by this Convention. The accession of such regional economic integration organizations is the subject of consultations among Members of the Commission. The membership of the Commission consists of (a) Contracting Parties which participated in the meeting at which the Convention was adopted, (b) each State Party acceded to the Convention becomes a member of the Commission during the period when the acceding Party is engaged in research or harvesting activities in relation to the marine living resources to which the Convention applies, and (c) each regional economic integration organization which has acceded to the Convention is entitled to become a member of the Commission during such time as its States members are so entitled. The members of the Commission are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea (Republic of), New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK and USA. States which have acceded to the Convention but are not Members of the Commission are: Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Greece, Netherlands, Peru and Uruguay.
Objectives and Activities
The main objective of the Convention is the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources. The main functions of the Commission are (i) to ensure that all harvesting and research activities are conducted in accordance with the objectives of the Convention, (ii) to formulate, adopt and revise conservation measures, (iii) to compile, analyze and disseminate information on the status of resources, and (iv) to facilitate research activities. The Commission has regulatory powers and its regulatory measures are subject to an objection procedure. The Commission has a scientific Committee which itself is advised by specialist working groups. The Commission also has a Standing Committee on Observation and Inspection whose primary functions are to report on inspections of fishing vessels and to ensure compliance with conservation measures in force.
Area of competence of CCAMLR. The dotted lines indicated the limits of
FAO Statistical Areas 58, 48 and 88
Established by the Constitutional Agreement of the Latin American Organization for Fishery Development, signed in Mexico City on 29 October 1982 and entered into force on 2 November 1984. The Agreement was amended twice in 1984.
Area of Competence
The Constitutional Agreement which established OLDEPESCA does not define the area of competence of the Organization by lines of longitude and latitude. It should be noted, however, that the preamble to the Convention refers to the need to encourage the correct use and protection of fishery resources within the maritime jurisdiction zones of each State.
Species Covered
The Agreement covers all living marine resources.
Membership
The Membership of the Organization is open only to those States belonging to the Latin American Economic System. The present members of the Organization are: Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.
Objectives and Activities
The main objective of the Agreement is to provide adequately for the food needs of Latin America and Caribbean, using the potential of fishery resources for the benefit of the people in the region. The Organization consists of the Conference of Ministers, the Governing Council and the Executive Director. The Conference of Ministers is the supreme authority specifying the direction and policy of OLDEPESCA through its Declarations and Resolutions. These policies are generally prepared by the Governing Council in relation to the objectives of the Organization. OLDEPESCA is actively involved in areas of research in fisheries resources, exploitation of fisheries resources, aquaculture, fisheries technology, fisheries trade, training, and environmental protection. In 1990 the Conference of Ministers of OLDEPESCA adopted a Resolution approving an International Programme for the reduction of capture and incidental mortality of marine species in commercial fishing operations.
Established by the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna signed by Australia, Japan and New Zealand in Canberra on 10 May 1993 and entered into force on 20 May 1994.
Area of Competence
The Convention does not mention any specific geographical area or areas to be covered by its provisions. Southern bluefin tuna ( Thunnus maccoyii ) constitute a stock fished in the Indian Ocean, the Southern Atlantic and the South Pacific. The species spawns south off Java, Indonesia, from where juveniles migrate east through the southern part of the Australian Fishing Zone towards New Zealand. Some other juveniles from the same spawning ground migrate west through the Indian Ocean towards South Africa. It is therefore assumed that the Commission is responsible for the whole area mentioned above.
Species Covered
Species covered by the Convention is Southern Bluefin Tuna. The Commission is also responsible for collecting information on "ecologically related species" defined in the Convention as living marine species which are associated with southern bluefin tuna, including but not restricted to both predators and prey of southern bluefin tuna.
Membership
The Convention is open for accession to (a) any State whose vessels engage in fishing for southern bluefin tuna and (b) any coastal State through whose exclusive economic or fishery zone southern bluefin tuna migrates. The present members of CCSBT are Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
Objectives and Activities
The objective of the Convention is to ensure, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilization of southern bluefin tuna. The functions of the Commission include: (i) collecting, analysing and interpreting scientific and other relevant information on SBT, and (ii) to adopt conservation and management measures including the total allowable catch and its allocation among the Members. Other additional measures may also be adopted by the CCSBT. The decisions of the Commission are taken by unanimous vote.
It must be noted that the exploitation of SBT began with an Australian surface fishery and a Japanese longline fishery in the early 1950s, while New Zealand started handline fishing in the early 1980s. The catch of SBT increased rapidly to a peak of 82 thousand metric tonnes (MT) in 1961. Since then, it has gradually decreased to 45 thousand MT in 1980 and 14 thousand MT in 1990. Since 1982 a scientific meeting and a subsequent management meeting have been held annually by the three countries. Total allowable catch and its allocation had been set by these meetings since 1985. In order to assist the scientific assessment, Australia, Japan and New Zealand cooperate in a Real Time Monitoring Programme which collects information in important areas on catch rates and size composition of SBT.
Established by Resolution 23/59 of the FAO Conference under Article VI-2 of the Organization's Constitution at its Tenth Session in 1959. It was called "Continuing Working Party on Fishery Statistics in the North Atlantic Area". The establishment of this Working Party was the outcome of the recommendations of an Expert Meeting on Fishery Statistics in the North Atlantic Area held in Edinburgh in September 1959. The Statutes of CWP were amended and approved by the FAO Council at its Hundred and Eighth Session in June 1995.
Area of Competence
Although the area of competence of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics has been the Atlantic Ocean since 1995 its area of competence has no geographical limitations. It covers the requirements for fishery statistics of all fisheries including aquaculture.
Species Covered
All species are covered by CWP.
Membership
The Working Party is composed of experts nominated by intergovernmental organizations which have competence in fishery statistics. The following are the participating organizations initially:
Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO)
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Statistical Office of the European Communities (EU/Eurostat)
Participating organizations may admit other intergovernmental organizations having competence in fishery statistics. Participating organizations may withdraw from the Working Party. In 1995, International Whaling Commission (IWC) made a formal request to become a participating organization in CWP.
Objectives and Activities
The objectives of the CWP are to: (a) keep under continuous review the requirements for fishery statistics (including aquaculture) for the purposes of research, policy-making and management, taking into account inter alia their purpose, usefulness, cost, burden in collection and collation, timeliness, quality, confidentiality needs and regional differences; (b) agree standard concepts, definitions, classifications and methodologies for the collection and collation of fishery statistics; and (c) make proposals and recommendations for action in relation to the collection, collation and dissemination of fishery statistics, recognizing the need to coordinate activities so as to avoid duplication.
The CWP supported by the participating organizations has served since 1960 as the premier international and inter-organization forum for agreeing common definitions, classifications and standards for the collection of fishery statistics. It has developed common procedures for statistics collation which have streamlined the collation process and reduced the burden on national fisheries statistical offices. It has provided technical advice on fishery statistical matters to participating organizations and has facilitated the publication of methodological and reference documents. In the process it has shaped the statistical programmes of all participating organizations to some extent, and those of FAO in particular, while leaving organizations with complete autonomy in their area of responsibility.
The new statutes for the CWP were designed to provide a sound basis for the Working Party to meet the challenges resulting from the enhanced role of regional fishery organizations in relation to statistics following the UN Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, and to facilitate the participation of other agencies with a remit for fisheries statistics outside the Atlantic
