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REPORT FOR THE BIENNIAL PERIOD, 2002-2003, PART II (2003)
SECRETARIAT REPORTS
2003 ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT 1
1. Contracting Parties to the Convention
In 2003, the Legal Services Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
notified the Secretariat that on 20 March, 4 July and 7 August the Governments of Cyprus, Turkey, and Malta,
respectively, had deposited instruments of adherence to the International Convention for the Conservation of
Atlantic Tunas. In accordance with Article XIV, paragraph 3, Cyprus, Turkey and Malta are now full members
of the Commission.
As of 31 December 2003, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is comprised of
37 Contracting Parties, as follows: Algeria, Angola, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Côte
d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Equatorial Guinea, European Community, France (St. Pierre & Miquelon), Gabon,
Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Honduras, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Namibia, Panama,
Russia, St. Tome and Principe, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, South Africa, United Kingdom (Overseas
Territories), United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu and Venezuela.
As regards the Panels, in 2003, and in virtue of Rule 12, paragraph 5, of the Rules of Procedure, Malta and
Turkey joined Panels 2 and 4, and Cyprus joined Panel 2.
2. Approval, ratification or acceptance of the Madrid Protocol to the ICCAT Convention
In accordance with its Article 3, the Protocol adopted in Madrid in June, 1992, will enter into force, for all the
Contracting Parties, on the 90th day following the deposit with the Director General of FAO of the last
instrument of approval, ratification or acceptance by three-quarters of the Contracting Parties, which should
include all the Parties classified by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development as of 5 June 1992,
as developed market economy countries.
In March 2000, France deposited an instrument of approval with the Director General of FAO, which completes
the list of developed market economy countries. Approval, ratification or acceptance is still pending from one of
the countries that was not part of this category on 5 June 1992: Angola, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial
Guinea, and St. Tome and Principe. After repeated communications with these countries regarding this matter,
the Executive Secretary again contacted them on 17 January and 18 June 2003, and sent a letter again to these
Contracting Parties urging them to adhere to the Protocol as soon as possible so that it could enter into force,
which would be of interest to all.
In March, July and August, Cyprus, Turkey and Malta accepted the Madrid Protocol upon becoming Contracting
Parties to the Convention.
As of 31 December 2003, the following Contracting Parties had officially ratified or accepted the Protocol (some
of these automatically accepted upon becoming Contracting Parties to the Convention):
Republic of Korea Acceptance on 11 June 1993
Guinea Conakry Acceptance on 21 September 1993
Canada Ratification on 22 September 1993
South Africa Acceptance on 30 September 1993
United States of America Ratification on 24 August 1994
Russian Federation Acceptance on 14 September 1994
United Kingdom Acceptance on 10 November 1995
People’s Republic of China Acceptance on 24 October 1996
1 The Administrative Report presented at the Commission Meeting in 2003 has been updated to 31December 2003.
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