This paper discusses the potential value of catch documentation schemes (CDS) in deep-sea fisheries (DSF), and the implementation modalities that have to be envisaged, to ensure the effectiveness of this trade-based tool to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The paper argues that CDS are indeed capable of directly addressing a number of IUU fishing practices known to occur in DSF, and that their adoption would improve compliance with fisheries management requirements. Key infringements that may be directly detected and addressed through a CDS include – but are not limited to – violations of closed areas harbouring protected vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) in the deep ocean, and quota overfishing. The paper also establishes the notion that partial coverage of given species through a CDS at the level of individual RFMOs is incongruous from a trade monitoring and control perspective, and that CDS should be considered as either/or propositions with regard to species coverage. With most DSF species having broad distributions straddling many RFMOs, the implementation modality that avails itself as the most suitable option, enabling the operation of an effective CDS, is that of a centrally operated electronic CDS platform – called a super-CDS – shared by a plurality of institutional and state players.

This publication is intended to provide a range of stakeholders and interested parties with an understanding of orange roughy fisheries around the world. The report covers historical aspects of the regional development of orange roughy fisheries, biology, stock assessment, ecosystem interactions, and key management issues. Recent developments in science and approaches to management are specifically highlighted with respect to future management of sustainable deepwater orange roughy fisheries. The sustainability of orange roughy fisheries, or other fisheries for long-lived deepwater species, has been widely discussed. These reviews invariably draw on the common global experience of previous poor understanding about orange roughy productivity, rapid development of targeted industrial fisheries, the associated likelihood of overfishing and extended timescales for stock recovery, and an ensuing series of “boom and bust” orange roughy fisheries that frequently resulted in depleted stocks.

In this report, we explore potential options for storing and sharing pre-existing data collated for the Western Indian Ocean as part of the GEF ABNJ Deep Seas Project (‘the ABNJ Deep Seas Project’) Component 4 on area-based planning in ABNJ. This Project is jointly implemented by FAO and UN Environment, the Western Indian Ocean being one of Component 4’s two pilot study areas. However, the management of data is relevant across all the Components of the ABNJ Deep Seas Project.

In this report, we explore potential options for storing and sharing pre-existing data collated for the South-East Pacific as part of the GEF ABNJ Deep Seas Project (‘the ABNJ Deep Seas Project’) Component 4 on area-based planning in ABNJ. This Project is jointly implemented by FAO and UN Environment, the South-East Pacific being one of Component 4’s two pilot study areas. However, the management of data is relevant across all the Components of the ABNJ Deep Seas Project.

The study describes the governance landscape in ABNJ within the Western Indian Ocean and the South East Pacific with a view to understanding what progress has been made towards a collaborative and integrated cross-sectoral approach to area-based planning in ABNJ, and what potential challenges and opportunities exist when considering such an objective within these regions. The results of this study are designed to contribute to the UN Environment component of the GEF ABNJ Deep Seas Project, 1 which focuses on developing and testing area-based planning methodologies in ABNJ within the Western Indian Ocean and the South East Pacific.