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South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC)

SWIOFC Structure

Since its first Session in 2005, the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) has reinforced its structure and steadily enhanced the implementation of its mandate, currently functioning as a neutral high-level forum for its 12 Members to cooperate at regional level, and address fisheries monitoring and management concerns, science and research needs, and fisheries policy development and implementation.

The SWIOFC, with the support of regional projects and initiatives steered by the Commission, has been working as an exchange platform and has built an important momentum by sharing capacity, experience and advice regarding fisheries management under an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF). This effort has reinforced the trust and cooperation between members and observers and has raised expectations to achieve results towards more effective fisheries management for sustainable fisheries in the region.

The Session of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) is the Commission's principal decision-making forum, bringing together Members to review progress, adopt programmes of work, provide policy and management guidance, and oversee the implementation of the Commission's mandate. The SWIOFC Statutes establish the Commission as the regional fisheries advisory body through FAO Council Resolution 1/127 (2004) pursuant to Article VI of the FAO Constitution. The Commission is responsible for promoting the sustainable utilization, management and development of marine living resources within its area of competence. The Statutes require that meetings of the Commission be held at least once every two years. The Commission oversees its subsidiary bodies, including the Scientific Committee and other committees or working groups established to support its work.

The Bureau of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) is composed of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons of the Commission and serves as the Commission's executive coordination body during Sessions and throughout the intersessional period. The Bureau facilitates cooperation, collaboration and liaison among Members, monitors the implementation of Commission decisions by the Secretariat, and promotes their operationalization. It also monitors the work of the Scientific Committee and other subsidiary bodies, represents the Commission at relevant meetings and workshops, and undertakes any additional tasks entrusted to it by the Commission. The Bureau meets at least once annually, including by electronic means, and reports on its activities to each Session of the Commission.

     

    The Secretariat of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC), headed by the Secretary appointed by the FAO Director-General, is responsible for the administration, coordination and day-to-day operation of the Commission and its subsidiary bodies. The Secretariat supports the implementation of the Commission's programme of work by servicing the Commission and its subsidiary bodies, facilitating coordination and information exchange among Members, maintaining official records, promoting cooperation with partner organizations, supporting resource mobilization, and reporting on Commission activities. The Secretariat also coordinates preparations for Commission Sessions and supports the follow-up and implementation of decisions and recommendations adopted by the Commission

    The SC is the principal scientific advisory body of the SWIOFC and was established by the 1st Session of the SWIOFC pursuant to Article 6.2 of the SWIOFC Statutes for the establishment of the Commission, which stipulates that “the Commission shall establish a Scientific Committee”. The Scientific Committee brings together senior fisheries scientists and high-level technical experts from the countries and coordinates the production of knowledge and advice to inform fisheries management. The Scientific Committee’s mandates is to consider the state of fisheries and advise on the scientific basis for management measures. As a result, the Scientific Committee is a permanent subsidiary body of SWIOFC, and its meetings constitute the formal mechanism through which the Commission obtains scientific and technical advice to fulfil its mandate.

    The scientific committee has created, under its structure, several technical groups focusing on different aspects of its mandate.

    The WGDS was established under the Scientific Committee to strengthen regional collaboration, coordination and capacity development in fisheries data collection, management, analysis and the production of fisheries statistics. The WGDS aims to develop regional guidelines, harmonize fisheries data and statistical reporting, promote data-sharing policies, support capacity development, and facilitate the development of regional tools and approaches for fisheries information systems. The Terms of Reference of the WGDS were adopted by the 12th Session of the Scientific Committee and endorsed by SWIOFC Members in 2025, reflecting the Commission’s commitment to improving the quality, availability and comparability of fisheries data across the region. The establishment of the WGDS directly contributes to the implementation of the SWIOFC Statutes under FAO Council Resolution 1/127 (2004), which mandate the Commission to promote cooperation among Members, coordinate the collection and exchange of fisheries information and statistics, provide a scientific basis for fisheries management decisions, and support the sustainable utilization and management of living marine resources in the South West Indian Ocean.

    The WGFSE was established under the Scientific Committee to strengthen the integration of social and economic dimensions into fisheries science and management in line with the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF). Recognizing that sustainable fisheries management requires balanced consideration of ecological, social and economic objectives, the Working Group coordinates and promotes regional collaboration on socio-economic research, develops harmonized methodologies and indicators, supports the collection and analysis of fisheries value-chain data, and contributes evidence-based advice for fisheries management across the South West Indian Ocean region. The Working Group was endorsed by the SWIOFC Commission in 2021, with activities commencing for the 2021–2022 work period. Its establishment directly supports the implementation of the SWIOFC Statutes under FAO Council Resolution 1/127 (2004), which mandate the Commission to promote cooperation among Members, address fisheries management and development challenges, collect and analyze socio-economic information, provide scientific advice to support fisheries management decisions, and foster the sustainable utilization of living marine resources in the region.

    The WGSA was established under the Scientific Committee to strengthen regional collaboration, coordination and capacity development in fish stock assessment and to serve as the regional platform for compiling, reviewing and improving stock assessment work undertaken by Member States. Recognizing the challenges posed by limited data, technical capacity and harmonized assessment approaches in the region, the WGSA supports the development and application of appropriate stock assessment methods, conducts assessments of priority fisheries, promotes standardized reporting of assessment data, builds regional expertise, and provides scientific advice to fisheries managers. The Working Group’s Terms of Reference were adopted by the 12th Session of the Scientific Committee and endorsed by SWIOFC Members in 2025, reflecting the Commission’s commitment to strengthening evidence-based fisheries management in the region. The establishment of the WGSA directly supports the implementation of the SWIOFC Statutes under FAO Council Resolution 1/127 (2004), which mandate the Commission to promote regional cooperation in fisheries research, provide a sound scientific basis for fisheries management decisions, review the status of fishery resources, coordinate fisheries information and research, and support the sustainable utilization and management of living marine resources in the South West Indian Ocean.

    The TFRC was established under the Scientific Committee to develop a coordinated regional approach to fisheries research, knowledge generation, training and mentoring across the South West Indian Ocean. Recognizing that many fisheries in the region are data- and capacity-limited and that national institutions often face constraints in producing the scientific evidence needed for effective fisheries management, the TFRC promotes regional cooperation, South–South collaboration and the sharing of expertise to strengthen fisheries science and management capacity. Its mandate includes assessing institutional capacity needs, developing regional training and mentoring programmes, supporting the implementation of a Regional Fisheries Science Programme, establishing a Network of Centres of Excellence, and improving coordination among SWIOFC working groups and regional initiatives. The Terms of Reference of the TFRC were adopted by the Extraordinary Session of the Scientific Committee in April 2025 and endorsed by the SWIOFC Commission in 2025, reflecting the Commission’s commitment to strengthening fisheries research and capacity development across the region. The TFRC directly contributes to the implementation of the SWIOFC Statutes established under FAO Council Resolution 1/127 (2004), particularly the Commission’s functions to promote and coordinate fisheries research, strengthen scientific cooperation among Members, support training and capacity development, provide a sound scientific basis for fisheries management decisions, and foster the sustainable utilization and management of living marine resources in the South West Indian Ocean.

    The TGSWSF was established under the Scientific Committee as a specialized technical subgroup, originally under the Working Group on Demersal Fisheries and now linked to the Working Group on Stock Assessment, to strengthen regional cooperation on the research, assessment and management of shallow-water shrimp fisheries in the South West Indian Ocean. Recognizing the declining status of many shrimp fisheries in the region and the common challenges faced by Member States, the TGSWSF provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, coordinated research and the development of harmonized approaches to monitoring, stock assessment and management. The Group promotes evidence-based advice on the ecological, social and economic dimensions of shrimp fisheries, supports transboundary collaboration among countries with active shrimp fisheries, and contributes to the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF). The Terms of Reference were developed by the Working Group on Demersal Fisheries in 2021 and endorsed by the SWIOFC Commission in 2021, reflecting the Commission’s commitment to strengthening scientific cooperation and sustainable fisheries management in the region. The TGSWSF directly supports the implementation of the SWIOFC Statutes established under FAO Council Resolution 1/127 (2004), particularly the Commission’s functions to promote and coordinate fisheries research, facilitate the collection and exchange of fisheries information, provide scientific advice for fisheries management, encourage regional cooperation among Members, and support the sustainable utilization and management of marine living resources in the South West Indian Ocean.

    • TGSWSF TOR

    The WPCCTF is a subsidiary body of the SWIOFC that provides a regional platform for Member countries to enhance collaboration, exchange information, and coordinate actions on tuna fisheries management and development issues of common interest. Through its meetings, the Working Party reviews developments in tuna fisheries, promotes cooperation among SWIOFC Members and relevant regional organizations, and formulates recommendations for consideration by the Commission. The legal basis for the establishment of the WPCCTF derives from Article 6.3 of the SWIOFC Statutes, which authorizes the Commission to establish committees or working parties on problems of major importance or of a specialized nature. Accordingly, the WPCCTF operates as a subsidiary body of the Commission and its meetings serve as the primary forum for regional dialogue and cooperation on tuna fisheries matters within the SWIOFC framework. The Terms of Reference were adopted at the Sixth Session of the Commission held in 2012 following appraisal by the FAO Legal Office.

    The MTCTF was established by SWIOFC to fast-track the development and implementation of a regional framework governing fisheries access arrangements in the South West Indian Ocean. The Task Force emerged from a series of regional meetings held between 2014 and 2015 and was formally anchored under the SWIOFC Working Party on Collaboration and Cooperation in Tuna Fisheries (WPCCTF), with a mandate to coordinate cooperation among members, develop and monitor the MTC Protocol, facilitate information exchange, and strengthen regional capacity for fisheries governance. At its 7th Session held in Mozambique in October 2015, the SWIOFC Commission endorsed the MTC process and requested that the work continue under the direction of the WPCCTF, thereby providing institutional support for the Task Force and its activities. This initiative directly advances the objectives of the SWIOFC Resolution and Statutes (Resolution 1/127), which established the Commission to promote regional cooperation, strengthen fisheries governance, support the sustainable utilization and management of marine living resources, and address common fisheries management challenges through collaborative mechanisms and subsidiary bodies established by the Commission.