The biennial RFB meetings information and results are reported here below in reverse chronological order (most recent first).

Please use the links below to go to the relevant meeting information.

 

• Third Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network
  
• Second Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network
• First Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network
• Fourth Meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies
• Third Meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies
• Second Meeting of FAO and non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements
• Meeting of FAO and non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements

 

Third Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network (RSN-3) (Rome, 7-8 February 2011)

The third meeting of RSN was held from 7 to 8 February 2011 immediately following the 29th session of COFI.

For the meeting's details and documents click here.

For the French version of the Statement, click here.  

Second Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network (Rome, 9-10 March 2009)

The second meeting of RSN took place immediately following the 28th session of COFI.

Issues addressed:

• review of the decisions of the Twenty-eighth Session of COFI relating to RFBs
• factors affecting fishery management including IUU Fishing, overcapacity and UNGA Resolution 61/105
• responsible fisheries and management in aquatic, particularly marine, ecosystem
• role of RFBs including RFMO/RFB performance enhancement, small-scale and inland fisheries
• status of FIRMS and CWP development
• RSN Webpage
• advice and future work

First Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network (Rome, 12-13 March 2007)

The First Meeting of Regional Fishery Body Secretariats Network took place immediately following COFI 27, representing the fifth meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies since 1999.

Issues addressed:

• review of the decisions of the Twenty-seventh Session of COFI relating to RFBs
• role of RFBs including UNFSA 2006 outcomes, small-scale and inland fisheries and RFB performance
• external factors affecting fisheries management including IUU fishing, overcapacity, catch document harmonization and Ramsar Convention Resolution IX.4
• approach to incorporate ecosystems considerations into fisheries management by RFBs
• status of FIRMS
• advice and future work

Fourth Meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies (Rome, 14-15 March 2005)

At this meeting, acknowledging the broad consultations undertaken by the Chairpeson in preparing for the meeting, and mindful that this constituted a virtual group during intersessional periods rather than a single event every two years, it was agreed to change the title of the meeting to "RFB Secretariats Network". Issues addressed:

• review of the decisions of the Twenty-sixth Session of COFI relevant to RFBs
• the role of RFBs
• external factors affecting fisheries management
• approaches to incorporate ecosystems considerations into fisheries management by RFBs
• harmonization of catch documentation
• relations between RFBs and UNEP
• status of FIRMS and other related matters

Third Meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies (Rome, 3-4 March 2003)

The Third Meetin of RFBs was held immediately after the Twenty-fifth Session of COFI. Issues addressed:

• review of the decisions of the Twenty-fifth Session of COFI relevant to RFBs
• summary information on the role of RFBs
• external factors affecting the management of fisheries
• status of partnerships between RFBs and FAO to develop the Fisheries Resources Monitoring System (FIRMS)
• implications for RFBs from the World Summit on Sustainable Development
• approaches to incorporate ecosystems considerations into fisheries management by RFBs
• relations between RFBs and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Second Meeting of FAO and non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements (Rome, 20-21 February 2001)

The second meeting of FAO and non-FAO RFBs was held prior to the Twenty-fourth Session of COFi, but resulted in the decision that future meetings should be scheduled after COFI in order to better connect the impact of COFI decisions on the work of RFBs. It also agreed to change the title of the Meeting of FAO and Non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements to "Meeting of Regional Fishery Bodies". Issues addressed:

• review of some external factors that may impact on the work of RFBs and fisheries management
• indicators to assess the performance of RFBs
• cooperation in global trends and status reporting in fisheries
• illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
• developments in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) criteria for listing commercially-exploited aquatic species
• opportunities and challenges for coordinated activities on ecosystem-based management of fisheries Report of the Second Meeting of FAO and non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements

Meeting of FAO and non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements (Rome, 11-12 February 1999)

FAO organized the first meeting of FAO and non-FAO RFBs in February 1999 prior to the Twenty-third Session of COFI, which was commended by the COFI. Since then, biennial meetings of RFBs have been facilitated by FAO at the time of COFI.

Issues addressed:

• major issues affecting the performance of RFBs
• a multifaceted approach to fishery status and trends reporting
• RFBs or arrangements as vehicles for good fisheries governance