E - Iccat

COMPLIANCE COMITTEE REPORT
4.3 Draft Recommendation by ICCAT Concerning the Establishment of a Vessel Monitoring System in the
ICCAT Convention Area
In contrast to the other two draft Recommendations and after some discussion, the draft Recommendation on
VMS did not gather consensus in the Compliance Committee. The Chair decided to submit the draft proposal to
the Co mmission Plenary for further discussion, as it had been proposed by the 3 rd Meeting of the Working Group
to Develop Integrated Monitoring Measures its meeting in Madeira in May 2003. The Recommendation by
ICCAT Concerning Minimum Standards for the Establishment of a Vessel Monitoring System in the ICCAT
Convention Area was later adopted by the Plenary (see ANNEX 5 [Ref. 03-14]).
4.4 Future work of the Working Group to Develop Integrated Monitoring Measures
The Committee agreed to recommend to the Commission that the Working Group to Develop Integrated
Monitoring Measures continue its work at a date to be determined by the Commission.
5. National rules for the application of ICCAT measures
The Delegate of Brazil informed the Committee of new regulations adopted by Brazil and their transmission to
the ICCAT Secretariat.
The Secretariat distributed a document containing information submitted through National Reports in accordance
with ICCAT Regulations * . The Chair did not open discussion on this item, as the document is a summary
prepared by the Secretariat based on National Reports submitted by Contracting Parties and is only for the
information of the Committee.
6. Status of the compliance of Contracting Parties concerning statistics
Mr. Papa Kebe introduced the “Secretariat’s Report on Statistics & Coordination of Research” (in Report for
Biennial Period, 2002-03, Part II (2003) - Vol. 2) and the document presenting additional qualitative information
on “Data Reporting”* prepared by the ICCAT Secretariat at the request of the European Community Delegation.
The Delegate of the United States expressed his concern about the fact that 22 Contracting Parties had not
submitted all of their data for 2002 and about the future of ICCAT if this deficiency continues to prevent the
SCRS from assessing the status of the stocks.
7.Status of the compliance of Contracting Parties concerning ICCAT conservation and management
measures
The Committee Chairman stated that the following information would be reviewed: (i) the Compliance Tables
and (ii) other compliance failures, which includes the issue of trade sanctions imposed on Contracting Parties.
The Chairman also introduced three documents prepared by the Secretariat relating to bluefin tuna farming*,
charter agreements* and vessels fishing for North Atlantic albacore*, and invited comments from the Committee
on the information presented.
No comments were made on the issue of bluefin tuna farming, but this topic was discussed in depth by Panel 2.
The Delegate of the EC raised concerns relating to the need to tighten administrative procedures with regard to
submitting information on charter agreements, although he recognized that such problems were normal during
the initial phases of entry into force of a Recommendation. It was noted that additional information had been
received by the Secretariat from the EC, but that no corresponding information had been received by the
chartering Contracting Parties concerned.
The Delegated of Japan informed the Committee that Japan had chartered vessels to Algeria and Libya, but was
awaiting confirmation of the catches, which were being monitored by Japan. Some administrative difficulties
had been encountered as these arrangements had been made before the entry into force of the Recommendation
* This Report is on file at the Secretariat.
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