R E P O R T for biennial period, 2006-07 PART I (2006) - Vol ... - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2006-2007 (I)
review the current status of the RFMOs and define the actions necessary to improve the management of tuna in a
coordinated manner.
Further to this explanation, the Executive Secretary informed that the Kobe meeting is part of the work already
initiated on the coordination of the activities of the various tunas RFMOs and which has results, such as the
recently-created joint web page (www.tuna-org.org), which gives access to the various positive lists of vessels
and the IUU lists, as well as information of interest on the activities of the regional organizations. The creation
and management of this web page has been assumed by the ICCAT Secretariat as part of the cooperative work
among organizations.
Mr. Meski also informed that the Secretariat had prepared a draft document for the meeting and encouraged the
Contracting Parties to submit comments. The Executive Secretary indicated that the document was limited to a
historical review of the work carried out by ICCAT, within the framework of the SCRS as well as the
development and application of management measures, while it does not present any perspective for future
development. Mr. Meski also informed on the “Discussion Document on the Possibility of a Performance
Evaluation of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations” prepared by the Secretariat in consultation with
the Chairman on the possibility of a performance evaluation of the RFMOs.
Various delegations expressed their appreciation to the Secretariat for the work done in preparing the documents
and considered that the Kobe meeting is a good opportunity for an exchange of experiences and points of view
on the role that the RFMOs should carry out in the future. Some delegations indicated it would be convenient if,
from this meeting, some proposals emerged on models for the functioning of the tuna RFMOs which respond to
future management needs and which could be shared by the various organizations. In the same sense, a
suggestion was made on the need to define transparent processes of performance evaluation of the regional
organizations, while recognizing the difficulty this involves given the differences there are in the functioning of
these organizations.
The Chair proposed that the Chairman of the Scientific Committee attend the meeting and also encouraged the
Contracting Parties to participate.
15. Assistance to developing coastal States
The Executive Secretary presented a document on a “Summary of Assistance Provided in 2006 to Developing
Coastal States” which contains a summary of the activities on the capacity development carried out in 2006 and
in which the Secretariat has been involved, mainly as concerns the management of the available funds.
In 2006, the funds for assistance were destined mainly for the training of personnel to assist in participation at
scientific meetings and the development of the revised ICCAT Manual.
Training courses were financed in Brazil, Senegal and Ghana and activities for the recovery and improvement of
data were financed in Ghana, Uruguay and Venezuela. Assistance was also rendered to scientists of coastal
developing States to participate in the scientific inter-sessional meetings and the SCRS meeting.
With regard to the revised ICCAT Manual, in 2006 Chapter 4 was translated to French and Spanish and Chapter
2 has been developed.
Together with the activities carried out that were charged to the funds for assistance, the document identified
other current sources of financing in the fishing field for which coastal developing States can have access.
Specifically, the document mentioned the trust fund, established by the UN in 2004, to assist developing States
to implement the UNFSA. Further, the EC Delegate mentioned a document prepared by SEAFO which
identified various sources of financing, presented and discussed last October, by that organization. The
Secretariat was asked to compile the information relative to this document and distribute it among the ICCAT
member.
The delegations of the countries that had received funds for assistance expressed their appreciation and valued
the results obtained very positively.
Japan, as one of the contributors of funds through the JDIP, asked for support from the countries receiving funds
to identify the major needs as regards statistics, so as to adapt its program to these needs.
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