E - Iccat

INTEGRATED MONITORING MEASURES - FUNCHAL 2003
Agreement, while others mentioned the problem caused by the fact that not all ICCAT CPCs have ratified it. At
least one party noted that challenging the rights on boarding and inspection, as set out in the UN Fish Stocks
Agreement was not at issue. Instead, ICCAT should agree on how to exercise those rights. The Chair reminded
the Working Group that under the U.N. Agreement, regional fishery management organizations have a grace
period of two years (from either date of adoption or entry into force) to implement boarding and inspection
schemes. Otherwise, Articles 21 and 22 will automatically apply as a default mechanism. One party noted that
the Agreement specifies the date of adoption as the time from which the two-year period is to run. Others
mentioned the need for a consistent approach in all the RFMOs, while taking into account the different contexts.
One Party mentioned that Articles 21 and 22 of the U.N. Agreement were mainly designed for straddling stocks;
since highly migratory stocks have different needs due to their wider distribution areas, different inspection
measures are required. The idea of an ICCAT vessel to do inspections at sea was s uggested.
The Working Group noted that the issue of boarding and inspection was complicated but that discussions had
been helpful in clarifying the issues. The Working Group agreed that additional discussions on this matter were
needed.
Under discussion of 3.3.iv on port inspections, the Delegate of Japan mentioned that they could provide some
assistance to other CPCs on forwarding data ahead to ports to prevent delays in offloading. Japan offered to
provide further information on this at the 2003 annual meeting. Other delegations suggested that it may soon be
time to re-evaluate ICCAT´s port inspection program given the time that has elapsed since its adoption. The
Working Group concurred with this suggestion.
Under 3.3.vii, the Working Group discussed the desirability of using observer programs for monitoring and
compliance considering their costliness, difficulty in recruiting, availability of technological alternatives, need
for flexibility of application across different fisheries, and how data collected on the high seas could be used in
domestic enforcement. Several delegations expressed concern over possible threats to existing ICCAT scientific
observer programs if observer programs for monitoring and comp liance were added. Others noted that observers
are a part of the suite of monitoring, control and surveillance measures
The Parties took note of a document submitted by Chinese Taipei relating views on a number of the issues under
discussion. This document is attached as Appendix 4.3 to ANNEX 4.1 for reference.
5.4 Program to promote compliance by non-Contracting Party, Entity or Fishing Entity vessels
The Working Group discussed that the implementation of the positive and negative vessel lists, to be discussed
in the Trade Workshop, should address this section.
5.5 Summary of discussions and proposed Recommendations
After discussions of the General Outline were completed, discussions continued on the basis of a Chairman’s
Paper. Based on these discussions, the Chair produced three documents. The Working Group approved changes
to these three draft recommendations and agreed that they be submitted in their bracketed versions to the
Commission for consideration at its next annual meeting. (Draft Recommendation by ICCAT Concerning the
Duties of Flag States in Relation to Their Vessels Fishing in the ICCAT Convention Area (Appendix 5.1
ANNEX 4.1 ); Draft Recommendation by ICCAT Concerning the Recording of Catch by Fishing Vessels in the
ICCAT Convention Area (Appendix 5.2 to ANNEX 4.1); and Draft Recommendation by ICCAT Concerning
the Establishment of a Vessel Monitoring System in the ICCAT Convention Area (Appendix 5.3 to ANNEX
4.1).
6. Future work program
The Working Group concurred that although progress was made at this meeting, several issues concerning
integrated monitoring measures still need to be addressed further. Some of these include: data collection;
reporting and transmission; boarding and inspection; review of the port inspection scheme; transshipment;
observer programs; and implementation of the positive vessel list.
The delegates also discussed the idea of coordinating the process to revise the ICCAT Compendium with the
integrated monitoring measures process. It was suggested that such a discussion should take place within the
Commission rather than the Working Group.
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