FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - Regional fishery bodies (RFB)

Regional Fishery Bodies Summary Descriptions

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)

Mission
Area of competence
Species and stocks coverage
Legal framework
Languages
Organizations involved
Structure
Activities and meetings
Publications
Contact

MissionObjectivesThe objective of the Convention is to ensure, through effective management, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement. For this purpose, the Convention establishes a Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC). FunctionsIn order to conserve and manage highly migratory fish stocks in the Convention Area in their entirety, the members of the Commission shall:

adopt measures to ensure long-term sustainability of highly migratory fish stocks in the Convention Area and promote the objective of their optimum utilization;
ensure that such measures are based on the best scientific evidence available and are designed to maintain or restore stocks at levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield, as qualified by relevant environmental and economic factors, including the special requirements of developing States in the Convention Area, particularly small island developing States, and taking into account fishing patterns, the interdependence of stocks and any generally recommended international minimum standards, whether subregional, regional or global;
apply the precautionary approach in accordance with this Convention and all relevant internationally agreed standards and recommended practices and procedures;
assess the impacts of fishing, other human activities and environmental factors on target stocks, non-target species, and species belonging to the same ecosystem or dependent upon or associated with the target stocks;
adopt measures to minimize waste, discards, catch by lost or abandoned gear, pollution originating from fishing vessels, catch of non-target species, both fish and non-fish species, and impacts on associated or dependent species, in particular endangered species, and promote the development and use of selective, environmentally safe and cost-effective fishing gear and techniques;
protect biodiversity in the marine environment;
take measures to prevent or eliminate overfishing and excess fishing capacity and to ensure that levels of fishing effort do not exceed those commensurate with the sustainable use of fishery resources;
take into account the interests of artisanal and subsistence fishers;
collect and share, in a timely manner, complete and accurate data concerning fishing activities on,inter alia, vessel position, catch of target and non-target species and fishing effort, as well as information from national and international research programmes;
implement and enforce conservation and management measures through effective monitoring, control and surveillance.

The Commission applies the precautionary approach as defined by the Convention. Area of competence

WCPFC area of competence - High seas, National waters

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The designations employed and the presentation of material in the map(s) are for illustration only and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries.

Species and stocks coverageAll stocks of highly migratory fish within the Convention Area except sauries. Legal frameworkThe WCPFC was established by the Convention for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPF Convention), which entered into force on 19 June 2004. The Convention was concluded after six years of negotiation that commenced in 1994. The period between the conclusion of the Convention and its entry into force was taken up by a series of preparatory conferences that laid the foundations for the Commission to commence its work. LanguagesEnglish. Organizations involved

Member: Australia, Canada, China, Cook Islands, European Union, Republic of Fiji, France, Japan, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Fed.States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Taiwan Province of China, Tuvalu, United States of America, Vanuatu.

Belize, Indonesia, El Salvador, Mexico and Senegal are cooperating non-members.

Participating territories: American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna Islands.

The up-to-date list can be consulted on the WCPFC Web site. StructurePrincipal bodyThe Commission is the decision-making organ of the Convention. The Commission has international legal personality and such legal capacity as may be necessary to perform its functions and achieve its objectives. The Commission holds an annual meeting. Scientific CommitteeThe Scientific Committee's function is to ensure that the Commission obtains for its consideration the best scientific information available. Technical and Compliance CommitteeThe Technical and Compliance Committee's function is to provide,inter alia, the Commission with information, technical advice and recommendations relating to the implementation of, and compliance with, conservation and management measures. Commission’s Northern CommitteeThe Northern Committee makes recommendations on the implementation of conservation and management measures that may be adopted by the Commission for the area north of 20°N. Task groupsAn ad hoc Task group on data (AHTG-Data) was established in 2006. The role of the AHTG-Data relates to the generic description of both scientific and compliance information types and, as such, the AHTG-Data provided a valuable opportunity for representatives from both the Commission’s science and compliance communities to exchange views on areas of common interest. The AHTG-Data is also working on rules and procedures for the protection, access to, and dissemination of high-seas non-public domain data and information compiled by the Commission. SecretariatThe permanent Secretariat consists of an Executive Director and such other staff as the Commission may require. The executive director is the chief administrative officer of the Commission. Activities and meetingsInformation about the activities, programmes and meetings of the WCPFC and its various subsidiary bodies is available on the WCPFC Web site:

Publications The WCPFC produces a number of annual reports and publications. The publications mainly comprise: annual and meetings reports of WCPFC bodies, management and conservation measures in force, statistical bulletins, public domain data produced by the WCPFC, conference papers, newsletters, etc.

These publications are available on the WCPFC Web site.

Contact

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission

Kaselehlie Street

PO Box 2356

Kolonia

Pohnepi State 96941

the Federated States of Micronesia

Telephone: (+691) 320 1992 or 320 1993

Fax: (+691) 320 1108

Email: wcpfc@wcpfc.int

Web site: http://www.wcpfc.int/contact



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