“Regional Fishery Management Regimes – Comparisons of Structure and Function”

1. “Regional Fishery Management Regimes – Comparisons of Structure and Function” Hiromoto WatanabeFishery Liaison OfficerInternational Institutions and Liaison Service (FIEL)Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics and Policy DivisionFisheries and Aquaculture Department, FAO 12 April 2007

2. Outline 1. Introduction • Definition of Regional Fishery Bodies (RFBs) and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) • Nature and scope of RFB/RFMOs – Introduction of the new FI’s RFB Website 2. New and Growing Expectation = Challenges for RFB/RFMOs • International development and current situation around RFB/RFMOs • UN, FAO, Meeting of RFBs, Kobe Meeting of Tuna RFMOs, etc. • In particular, outcomes of the recent COFI-27 and RSN-1 3. Constraints and Prospect for Future • Could RFB/RFMOs tackle climate and other types of change? 4. Conclusion

3. Definitions of RFB/RFMOs A mechanism through which three or more States or international organizations that are parties to an international fishery agreement or arrangement collaboratively engage each other in multilateral management of fishery affairs related to transboundary, straddling, highly or high seas migratory stocks, through the collection and provision of scientific information and data, serving as technical and policy forum, or taking decisions pertaining to the development and conservation, management and responsible utilization of the resources. (Report of the Meeting of FAO and Non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements, 1999) “Arrangement” means a cooperative mechanism established in accordance with the Convention and this Agreement by two or more States for the purpose, inter alia, of establishing conservation and management measures in a subregion or region for one or more straddling fish stocks or highly migratory fish stocks. (UN Fish Stocks Agreement, Article 1, 1(d), 1995 )

4. RFBs and RFMOs Management Bodies Bodies with a management mandateCCAMLR CCBSP CCSBT GFCM IATTC ICCATIOTC IPHC IWC NAFO NASCO NEAFCNPAFC PSC SEAFO SIOFA (SPRFMO) WCPFCAdvisory BodiesBodies with an advisory mandate (scientific and/or management)APFIC BOBP-IGO CECAF CIFA COMHAFAT COPESCAL  COFREMAR COREP CPPS EIFAC FFA ICES LVFO MRC NAMMCO OLDEPESCA PICES RECOFI SEAFDEC SPC SRCF(CSRP) SWIOFC WECAFC http://www.fao.org/fi/website/FISearch.do?dom=rfb

5. International Development • FAO Compliance Agreement (1993) • UN Fish Stock Agreement (1995) • FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries • UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process • UNGA Resolutions • Review Conference on the UN Fish Stock Agreement • Other International Initiatives • COFI • Meeting of RFBs

6. References to RFB/RFMO in COFI Reports • COFI 24 (2001) RFB : 0 RFMO: 0 Total : 0 • COFI 25 (2003) RFB : 3 RFMO: 4 Total : 7 • COFI 26 (2005) RFB : 2 RFMO: 42 Total : 44 • COFI 27 (2007) RFB : 10 RFMO: 36 Total : 46

7. Outcome of COFI 27 • Agenda Item 11, Strengthening RFMOs and their performances including the outcome of the 2007 Tuna Meeting • The need to strengthen and increase the efficacy of RFMOs and RFBs • The outcome of the Joint Tuna RFMOs Meeting and the idea of additional joint meetings of non-tuna RFMOs • Performance reviews of RFMOs and RFBs: common criteria and flexibility and independence • Attention to developing countries, including small island developing States (SIDS) • Continuous support by FAO • Other agenda items • Climate change: a scoping study by FAO

8. Outcome of RSN-1 • Review of the Decision of COFI 27 • Role of RFBs • the outcome of the Review Conference • Small-scale fisheries • Performance enhancement • External Factors Affecting Fisheries Management • IUU Fishing • Overcapacity • Harmonization of Catch Documentation • Climate change • Ecosystem Consideration into Fisheries Management • EAF • Seabirds • Climate change

9. Constraints and Prospect for Future • Could RFB/RFMOs tackle climate and other types of change?

10. Constraints and Prospect for Future • Could RFB/RFMOs tackle climate and other types of change? Yes, but with a strong political will, and financial and human resources of member States

11. Constraints and Prospect for Future • Could RFB/RFMOs tackle climate and other types of change? Yes, but with a strong political will, and financial and human resources of member States Main driving force = member States rather than Secretariats

12. Constraints and Prospect for Future • Could RFB/RFMOs tackle climate and other types of change? Yes, but with a strong political will, and financial and human resources of member States Main driving force = member States rather than Secretariats • Are member States ready for giving a green light to RFBs to address the climate change while there are still a lot of urgent issues such as IUU fishing and other conventional fisheries management issues within the limited level of financial and human resources?

13. Conclusion While many calamitous phenomena were pointed out as possible or potential consequences of climate change, there is still a lot room for argument and uncertainty with regard to the relation between those phenomena and climate change. Almost nothing, or only a little, if any, has been identified in terms of direct interaction between climate change and day-to-day fisheries management practices. Even if we can take a precautionary approach, we should clarify, at least, what we can do or cannot do in order to address the issue within the framework of fisheries management, based on the best available scientific evidence, if any. I hope that FAO will be able to provide some tips for initiating the process based on the scoping study.