| March 1999 | FI:MM/99/1 Rev.2 |
| MINISTERIAL MEETING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES |
| Rome, Italy, 10-11 March 1999 |
| PROVISIONAL ANNOTATED AGENDA |
1. Opening of the Meeting
The Director-General will address the Meeting.
2. Election of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
The meeting is required to elect one Chairperson and one Vice-Chairperson.
3. Adoption of the Agenda and arrangements for the Meeting
Procedural.
4. How to adjust fishing capacity to the state and characteristcs of stocks*
This agenda item addresses the issue of overcapacity in world fisheries. The management of capacity is required to ensure that there is no unnecessary fleet expansion and that redundant capacity is eliminated. The general open access nature of several fisheries, the relative failure of a number of fisheries management schemes and the extensive use of subsidies in the fisheries sector are the causes of overcapacity that deserve to be underlined. Aware of the consequences of this phenomenon for the resource base and economic performances of the fishing industry, FAO has undertaken since early 1997 a series of technical and policy consultations leading to the preparation of an international document on the management of fishing capacity. The Ministerial Meeting is invited to provide guidance on the management of fishing capacity in general, and, in particular, on how to adjust fishing capacity to the state and characteristics of stocks in the context of the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The Meeting is also invited to review the Plan of Action to be adopted by COFI at its Twenty-third Session and endorse it.
5. What role for eco-labelling of fish and fishery products in support of responsible fisheries ?*
The potential usefulness of eco-labelling schemes to create market-based incentives for environmentally friendly products and production processes has been internationally recognized in Agenda 21 of UNCED. In recent years, eco-labelling programmes have proliferated for various products and sectors including food and forest products, especially in OECD countries. A similar development is taking place in fisheries and aquaculture. The Ministerial Meeting is invited to provide guidance on the possible role of eco-labelling of fish and fishery products in promoting responsible fisheries and to consider whether global action is needed to ensure that eco-labelling schemes effectively contribute to sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture, are non-discriminatory and do not create new barriers to trade.
6. FAO Strategic Framework for the years 2000-2015*
The Secretariat will report the observations and recommendations of the Twenty-third Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) on the Strategic Framework that is being developed for adoption by the FAO Conference in November 1999. The Strategic Framework will guide the work of the Organization in the medium- and long-term. Ministers are invited to make any additional observations on the latest draft of the Strategic Framework and/or on COFI’s recommendations.
7. Adoption of a Declaration of the Ministerial Meeting
8. Closure of the Meeting.
| * | Ministers are invited to make one statement addressing all or any of items 4,5 and 6. |