FAO Fisheries Circular No. 916 FIPL/C916

THE ROLE OF FAO REGIONAL FISHERY BODIES

IN THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES

S.H. Marashi
Consultant
International Institutions and Liaison Service
FAO Fisheries Department

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

Rome, 1996

PREPARATION OF THIS CIRCULAR

This Circular was prepared within the framework of the Regular Programme as part of on-going activities of the FAO International Institutions and Liaison Service (FIPL) aimed at providing information to the FAO Committee on Fisheries on the activities of the FAO Regional Fishery Bodies.

Marashi, S.H.

The role of FAO regional fishery bodies in the conservation and management of fisheries.

FAO Fisheries Circular. No. 916. Rome, FAO. 1996. 65p.

ABSTRACT

The importance of the conservation and management of fisheries resources through sub-regional and regional fisheries organizations and other arrangements to achieve sustainable utilization has been stressed at various international fora in recent years. The strengthening of the FAO regional fishery bodies with a view of making these bodies more effective in the conservation and management of fisheries will be discussed at the Twenty-second Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries in March 1997. The present Circular describes the recent developments concerning the conservation and management of the fisheries resources and provides information on the present role of the FAO regional fishery bodies. The document also includes a number of options on the future role of these bodies.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS CONCERNING HIGH SEAS FISHING

(i) Cancún Declaration on Responsible Fishing

(ii) Rio Conference (UNCED)

(iii) Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas

(iv) FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

(v) Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982

(vi) Rome Consensus on World Fisheries 6

(vii) Kyoto Declaration and Plan of Action on the Sustainable Contribution of Fisheries to Food Security

(viii) Resolution Adopted by the 95th Inter-Parliamentary Conference

II. REGIONAL APPROACH TO FISHERIES MANAGEMENT

(i) Present Fisheries Organizations

(ii) Measures Required to Make Fishery Organizations More Effective

III. THE FUTURE ROLE OF FAO FISHERY BODIES IN THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HIGH SEAS RESOURCES

(i) The Constitutional Position of FAO

(ii) The Present Mandates of FAO Fishery Bodies in Relation to High Seas Fisheries

(iii) The Implementation of the Provisions of the UN Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks by FAO

IV. SOME POSSIBLE OPTIONS ON STRENGTHENING THE FUTURE ROLE OF FAO REGIONAL FISHERY BODIES

(1) General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean (GFCM)

(2) Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC)

(3) Indian Ocean Fishery Commission (IOFC)

(4) Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)

(5) Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC)

(6) Regional Fisheries Advisory Commission for the Southwest Atlantic (CARPAS)

V. INLAND FISHERIES

(i) Management of Inland Fisheries

(ii) Role of FAO Inland Fishery Bodies

(iii) Strengthening of FAO Inland Fishery Bodies

ANNEX I: SUMMARY INFORMATION ON FAO REGIONAL FISHERY BODIES

ANNEX II: SHARED STOCKS IN THE AREAS COVERED BY FAO REGIONAL FISHERY BODIES

ANNEX III: FAO REGIONAL FISHERY BODIES: MEETINGS, ATTENDANTS AND COSTS 1/1/1993 TO 1/4/1996

ANNEX IV: BUDGETARY STRENGTH OF SOME FISHERY ORGANIZATIONS

Top of PageNext Page