COFI/2003/Inf.6

1. At its Twenty-fourth Session in February-March 2001, COFI made a number of recommendations to the Secretariat and Members. This note summarizes actions taken by the FAO Fisheries Department, usually in collaboration with Members, to address the principal recommendations directed to the Secretariat.

2. The text in the requests/recommendations (R) section has the relevant paragraphs of the Report of the Twenty-fourth Session given in brackets; while the text in the action (A) section includes, as appropriate, the Agenda Item under which the issue is to be addressed, and a reference in brackets to the appropriate document.

1. PROGRESS REPORT ON THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES AND RELATED INTERNATIONAL PLANS OF ACTION

R. Intensify awareness building about the Code (para. 29)

A. In 2001-2002, about 65 000 copies of the Code, its Guidelines as well as IPOAs elaborated in the framework of the Code, were distributed¹. Several conferences, workshops and technical consultations to address issues related to responsible fisheries were organized².

The simplified version of the Code produced in January 2001 has been translated into over forty national languages by FAO Members, some with the assistance of the Secretariat.

R. Undertake in-depth analysis on the implementation of the Code (para. 37)

A. Case studies have been undertaken in 17 developing States. The review highlighted the manner in which the Code was being implemented, the issues addressed and forces shaping implementation, the main constraints and steps taken to alleviate these constrains, technical assistance desired and the lessons learned.

Agenda Item 3 (COFI/2002/3).

A résumé on and a compilation of the Case Studies is available at the Session.

R. Conduct studies and reviews on ecosystem-based fisheries management including relationship between marine mammals and fisheries (para. 39)

A. An Expert Consultation to elaborate guidelines on ecosystem approach to fisheries was organized in September 2002, and FAO has undertaken other activities on ecosystem approach in fisheries.

Agenda Item 11 (COFI/2003/10; Inf. 13).

II. DECISIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EIGHTH SESSION OF THE COFI SUB-COMMITTEE ON FISH TRADE, BREMEN, GERMANY

R. Closely monitor scientific development on relationship between fishmeal and BSE (para. 44)

A. The Eighth Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade reviewed the matter on the basis of a document produced by the Secretariat. The Sub-Committee strongly endorsed the conclusion that there is no epidemiological evidence of BSE being transmitted to ruminants or other animals by fish meal and that there is likewise no evidence for the transmission to humans of the Creuzfeld Jacob Disease (CJD) caused by prions using fish or fish products as vectors. Taking into account the views expressed by some members, the Sub-Committee requested FAO to continue to monitor the matter.
Agenda Item 6 (COFI/2003/5 para.8)

R. Continue to provide training and assistance in fish quality assurance, seafood safety and risk analysis (para 47)

A. The Sub-Committee on Fish Trade, at its Eighth Session, February 2002, expressed satisfaction and support for the work of FAO in capacity-building through training and technical assistance for developing countries, the contributions to the Codex work on microbiological risk assessment and the development of a web-based system for the timely dissemination of relevant information on fish safety and quality, including information on fish quality and safety requirements in each member country.

Agenda Item 6 (COFI/2003/5).

R. Monitor developments on issues of relevance to eco-labelling (para. 50)

A. The Secretariat produced for the Eighth Session of the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade, a document that highlighted international developments in the area of traceability, including legislation on labelling requirements and ongoing traceability projects in member countries of products from capture fisheries and aquaculture. Many delegations underlined that such requirements should be limited to public health aspects in order to increase consumers' confidence, while some delegations emphasized that consumers demanded provision of broader information. The Sub-Committee recommended that the matter be further reviewed at its next session under the title "Eco-labelling and Traceability of Products from Fisheries and Aquaculture", emphasizing that any such initiative should be within the framework of the WTO agreement and with a view to avoiding trade barriers and to ensure government involvement.

Agenda Item 6 (COFI/2003/5).

R. Undertake studies on feasibility and practicability of harmonizing catch documentation used by some RFMOs (para. 51)

A. The Eighth Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade felt that the outcome of an expert consultation that was convened in La Jolla, USA, in January 2002 on the subject was a step in the right direction for the harmonization of catch documentation for trade purposes, but that there was a need for further work. FAO also produced Technical Paper No. 422 on Product Certification and Eco-labelling for Fisheries Sustainability. The Sub-Committee decided to refer the matter to its parent body for further consideration.

Agenda Item 6 (COFI/2003/5).

R. Organize Eighth Session of COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade (para.53)

A. The Eighth Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade was held in Bremen, Germany, from 12 to 16 February 2002. The meeting was hosted by the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. It was attended by 48 member countries, two observers from FAO member countries, seven IGOs and 11 INGOs.
Agenda Item 7 (COFI/2003/6).

III. PROPOSED COFI SUB-COMMITTEE ON AQUACULTURE

R. Organize first session of COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture (para. 58, 59, 60 and 62)

A. The First Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture was hosted by the Government of China, in Beijing, with the financial assistance of the Government of Italy to support the participation of resource-poor developing countries.
Agenda Item 8 (COFI/2003/6)

IV. CITES CRITERIA FOR COMMERCIALLY-EXPLOITED AQUATIC SPECIES

R. Convene technical consultation on CITES criteria and report to CITES Secretariat (para. 68, 70, 71)

A. A Technical Consultation was held in Windhoek, Namibia in October 2001. The Technical Consultation formulated conclusions and recommendations on the CITES criteria, guidelines and process for listing. As instructed by COFI, the Fisheries Department forwarded the report of the (second) Technical Consultation to the CITES Secretariat on an informal basis early in November 2001, so that it could be considered by CITES at the meeting of the Chairs of the CITES Animals and Plants Committee and of the Criteria Working Group later that month. Subsequently, the report of the Second Consultation was adopted formally on behalf of COFI by the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade at its meeting in Bremen, Germany in February 2002. The CITES Secretariat has been informed of the action taken by the Sub-Committee. FAO participated actively at COP-12 in Chile in November 2002.

Agenda Item 6 (COFI/2003/5).

R. Develop a work plan for exploring CITES issues with respect to international trade (para. 68)

A. The 2002 meeting of the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade discussed and agreed on a proposed workplan for exploring CITES issues with respect to international fish trade, and on a possible framework for greater FAO involvement in the CITES process for considering proposals for listing and de-listing. The proposal would be submitted in Appendix 1 of document COFI/2003/5, for consideration by COFI at its Twenty-fifth Session.
Agenda Item 6 (COFI/2003/5).

V. PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVED GLOBAL REPORTING ON THE STATUS AND TRENDS OF FIHSERIES

R. Contributed to enhancing capacity-building in developing countries in fisheries statistics (para. 77)

A. Project implementation, backstopping and follow-up were undertaken in Cambodia, Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Angola, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Congo and Burundi. New projects are under formulation for Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania and selected (PERSGA) countries (Egypt, Yemen, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia). Regional workshops on fishery statistics were held in Bangkok for Southeast Asian countries, in Djibouti for PERSGA countries and in Nouméa for South Pacific countries. The meeting in Nouméa was organized in collaboration with the FAO Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific (SAPA) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC). The Fisheries Department also contributed to the Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics (APCAS) and developed a training and planning handbook on sample-based fishery surveys. The Nineteenth Session of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP) agreed to investigate a possible advocacy role for the CWP in relation to statistical development and capacity building.

R. Convene a technical consultation to ascertain ways and means of improving fisheries status and trends reporting in fisheries including the possible development of IPOA (para 81)

A. The Technical Consultation was held in Rome from 25 to 28 March 2002. Partial funding for the meeting was provided by the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Sloan Foundation/Census of Marine Life provided some funds to assist participation by developing countries. The outcome of the technical consultation: "Draft Strategy for Improving Information on Status and Trends of Capture Fisheries" will be submitted for consideration to the Twenty-fifth Session of COFI.
Agenda Item 8 (COF/2003/7).

VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXPERT CONSULTATION ON ECONOMIC INCENTIVES AND RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES

R. Undertake further work on subsidies, including the convening of an expert consultation and eventually technical consultations (paras. 86, 89)

A. In the spring of 2001, the Fisheries Department organized an FAO meeting with intergovernmental organizations on fisheries. The meeting focused on co-ordinating work related to fisheries subsidies. The conclusions and recommendations were published in Fisheries Meeting Report No. R649. The (second) Expert Consultation on Identifying, Assessing and Reporting on Subsidies in the Fishing Industry was held in Rome from 3 to 6 December 2002.
Agenda Item 9 (COFI/2003/8, Inf. 12).

Studies on economic and financial performance of marine capture fisheries were conducted in 15 countries. A meeting on the same subject and the role of economic incentives, value addition and changes of fleet structure, was held in Lucknow, India, from 2 to 6 April 2001. Studies on subsidies were conducted in the following countries: China, Republic of Korea, Thailand, India, France Norway and Germany. The findings were reported in FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 421.

VII. ILLEGAL, UNREPORTED AND UNREGULATED FISHING

R. Publish and disseminate widely IPOA-IUU fishing and monitor its application (paras. 99 and 111)

A. The IPOA-IUU Fishing was published in the five official languages. Guidelines and a simplified version of the IPOA were produced and widely distributed. Ad hoc advice was provided to countries on the implementation of the IPOA. Assessment of Lloyds/IMO database was pursued as it contributed to monitoring the incidence of IUU fishing by fishing fleets registered under Flags of Convenience, including identifying the registers to which these vessels are reflagging. An Expert Consultation to Review Port States Measures to Combat IUU Fishing was held in Rome, Italy from 4 to 6 November 2002.
Agenda Item 5 (COFI/2003/3, Inf. 8).

VIII. MEDIUM-TERM PLAN 2002-2007

R. Strengthen collaboration between FAO and regional fishery bodies (para. 117)

A. Representatives of the Secretariat of many regional fishery bodies participated in activities pursued by FAO, hosted a number of joint meetings or consultations, and provided valuable inputs to studies on matters of common concern including the UN Secretary-General's report pursuant to General Assembly Resolutions A/RES/55/7 and A/RES/55/8 on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. Seven non-FAO regional fishery bodies participated in the Nineteenth Session of the CWP. Representatives of regional fishery bodies will hold their third meeting at FAO, Rome, on 3 and 4 March 2003, just after the Twenty-fifth Session of COFI.

At its Sixteenth Session, in October 2002, the Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) felt that the status quo of the Committee should be maintained and, in particular, that it could continue to operate as an advisory body set up under Article VI, paragraph 2 of the FAO Constitution. It agreed that the work of the Committee should be more focused and revised the Terms of References of CECAF. The Committee recommended that, without prejudice to the proposal that the current status quo of CECAF be maintained, the Director-General should keep under review the issue of a possible framework for the high seas. To this effect, it requested the Director-General to convene a Legal and Technical Consultation to address the matter before the Seventeenth Session of CECAF.

R. Lay emphasis on gear selectivity and waste reduction (para. 115)

The GEF project on "Reduction of Environmental Impact from Tropical Shrimp Trawling, through the Introduction of By-catch reduction Technologies and Change of Management" was approved in mid 2002 with a budget of $ 9,150,000. Twelve countries and one intergovernmental institution are participating in the project. Preparatory activities have been undertaken for a Regional Workshop on Selectivity and Wastage in Fisheries to be held in 2003 in Bangkok, in cooperation with SEAFDEC. A similar Workshop will be held in late 2003 with participants from Europe, USA, Japan and South Africa. An update on the global estimate of discards is under preparation, following the methodology recommended by the Technical Consultation on Reduction of Wastage in Fisheries, Tokyo in 1996. The study will complement the preparation of a technical paper on the economic, environmental and social impacts caused by discards being undertaken by the Secretariat. These activities will provide an excellent basis for the FAO programme in selectivity and waste reduction for the next biennium 2004 - 2005.
Agenda Item 12 (COFI/2003/12)

IX. MAIN OUTCOMES OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES RESEARCH

The Fourth Session of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries Research (ACFR) held in Rome, Italy, from 10 - 13 December 2002.

The Committee reviewed its achievements during its last three sessions; provided guidance for operationalizing the time-bound fisheries goals in the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) 2002; identified priority emerging issues of international character in fisheries and aquaculture; and elaborated the plan of work for the Committee (2003 - 2004).

As in the past, the Committee extended its deliberation to include the manner in which scientific research could contribute to the development of fisheries policies with particular emphasis on questions of food security and poverty alleviation. In this regard the Committee, inter alia:

· Welcomed the attention and prominence given by WSSD 2002 to fisheries issues;
· Provided detailed guidance on how to operationalize the time-bound goals in fisheries of WSSD 2002 in the context of responsible fisheries;
· Recommended that FAO play a key facilitating role in support of national, regional and international efforts towards implementation of the planned targets of WSSD 2002 and indicated how this could be done;
· Reiterated that small-scale fisheries had generally received less research attention relative to other sectors than merited by their relative contribution to nutrition, food security, sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation;
· Welcomed the inclusion of small-scale fisheries as a stand-alone agenda item of the Twenty-fifth Session of COFI;
· Recommended the establishment of an ACFR Working Party on Small-scale Marine Fisheries to elaborate a draft research agenda and undertake an evaluation of the role and importance of these fisheries and also outline ways in which the transition to responsible fisheries can be facilitated, bearing in mind the developing paradigm of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF);
· Recommended that priority be given to case studies to determine the impacts of trade and trade measures (either liberation on trade barriers) on conservation and livelihoods, particularly for small-scale fisheries in developing countries;
· Recognized that the goals of WSSD 2002 and the promotion of responsible fisheries management and sound aquaculture development were constrained by lack of appropriate human capacity to accommodate the new approaches to fisheries issues and fisheries management, and therefore designated the building of human capacity as its next "mega-priority cross-cutting issue";
· Recommended that the idea for the development of a human capacity building strategy for fisheries should be highlighted by the Fisheries Department at the Twenty-fifth Session of COFI and indicated the process by which such a strategy could be established.

¹ Copies of the Code: 5 100, Guidelines: 15 300, IPOAs: 10 500, simplified version of the Code: 8 700.

² The most important ones included: Expert Consultation on the Use of Irrigation Systems for Sustainable Fish Production in Arid Countries of Asia (Almaty, Kazakhstan, September 2001); Reykjavik Conference on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem, (Reykjavik, Iceland, October 2001) Second Technical Consultation on the Suitability of the CITES Criteria for Listing Commercially-Exploited Aquatic Species, (Windhoek, Namibia, October 2001); Expert Consultation on Fish Technology in Latin America, (Montevideo, Uruguay, December 2001); Technical Consultation on Legal Framework and Economic Policy Instruments for Sustainable, Commercial Aquaculture in Africa (Arusha, Tanzania, December 2001); Consultation on Fish Technology in Africa (Mbour, Senegal, December 2001); Expert Consultation on the Management of Small-scale Fisheries in Sub-Sahara Africa (Accra, Ghana, December 2001); Technical Consultation on Improving Information on the Status and Trends of Capture Fisheries (Rome, Italy March 2002); Workshop on the Promotion of Sustainable Fishing Practices and Methods in West Africa (March 2002).