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Below is an expandable list of RFMOs in 2019, plus two additional Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs) that are
purely advisory in nature, but that have a geographical scope that extends into ABNJ.
Although the latter are technically not RFMOs (as they currently have no mandate to implement legally binding measures),
these are relevant organisations in the context of fisheries management in ABNJ, so they are included on the list presented here.
The list of RFMOs presented here is divided into General RFMOs, Tuna RFMOs, and Specialised RFMOs (as proposed by Ásmundsson in
this 2016 background document on RFMOs:
***We're still working on this page: The list below will be made expandable and linked to the headings in the RFMO descriptions lower down. For now, you will need to scroll.***
General RFMOs
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM)
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC)
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
South-East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO)
South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)
South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)
Tuna RFMOs
Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT)
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
Specialised RFMOs
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO)
North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC)
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (CCBSP)
North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO)
Advisory Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs) with a geographical remit that extends to ABNJ
Western Central Atlantic Fisheries Commission (WECAFC)
Fisheries Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)
The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
The
Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
has a mandate to protect Antarctic
marine living resources. Its underpinning multilateral Convention (the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources, signed in 1980 and in force since 1982) encompasses fisheries management as well as environmental
conservation within the Antarctic region. This means that CCAMLR serves the function of a
Regional Seas Programme (RSP) as well
as that of a general RFMO. The Convention forms part of the wider Antarctic Treaty System, and automatically binds Contracting
Parties to certain provisions in the
Antarctic Treaty
of 1959 (in force since 1961), which grants free access to Antarctica for
peaceful research on the basis of a prohibition of military activities and a mutual agreement to hold all territorial claims in
abeyance. CCAMLR is based in Hobart, Tasmania (Australia).
The fisheries management work of CCAMLR is currently centred on managing fisheries for Patagonian toothfish,
Antarctic toothfish, and Antarctic krill. CCAMLR has established dedicated programmes to gather the
information it needs to manage these fisheries effectively, including through fisheries monitoring,
scientific observers on fishing vessels, and wider ecosystem monitoring. CCAMLR can also draw from the advice,
expertise and information provided by its
Scientific Committee,
made up of scientific experts from CCAMLR Contracting
Parties. The Scientific Committee meets every year, and has working groups on
***placeholder: map window*** (map of CCAMLR members)
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
The
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
is a general RFMO established under the NEAFC Convention (the
Convention on Multilateral Cooperation in North East Atlantic Fisheries),
adopted in 1980 and in force since 1982. The area covered by the NEAFC Convention
stretches from the southern tip of Greenland to the Barents Sea and to Portugal.
Its Secretariat is located in London, UK.
NEAFC is a General RFMO that manages a wide range of fisheries in its geographical remit. Like other general RFMOs,
NEAFC keeps a register of fishing vessels active within its region, monitors and reviews compliance with fishing measures,
conducts fisheries research, carries out stock assessments, implements fisheries management measures to ensure the long-term
sustainability of those stocks, and assesses impacts of fisheries on ecosystems, identifying and designating vulnerable marine
ecosystems (VMEs) where appropriate. NEAFC also publishes fisheries statistics, relevant maps, and information about VMEs, fishing
footprints and areas within which fisheries measures apply.
A list of current fisheries management measures in place can be accessed
here,
and a list of current VMEs and fisheries closures can be accessed
here.
NEAFC bases decisions on such measures on scientific advice and information provided by the
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES),
an independent scientific body.
NEAFC has established a collective arrangement with OSPAR, the
Regional Seas Programme (RSP)
responsible for protecting the marine environment in a region of the North East
Atlantic that overlaps strongly with the geographical remit of NEAFC.
This collective arrangement facilitates cooperation, information exchange,
and the effectiveness of area-based management measures implemented by both parties.
To date, this collective arrangement has been formally signed just by OSPAR and NEAFC, but it is open to other competent
entities with management responsibility in the North East Atlantic region, with the ultimate aim of becoming a multilateral
forum for dialogue and collaborative work across multiple sectors. Further information can be found on the NEAFC website
here ,
and on the OSPAR website
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of NEAFC members)
North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC)
The
North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC)
was established under the Convention on the Conservation and Management of the High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North
Pacific Ocean (the NPFC Convention), agreed in 2012 and in force since 2015. Its Secretariat is located in Tokyo, Japan.
The NPFC is a general RFMO that covers all marine fisheries in the region except those already managed under sovereign rights or
under other international instruments. It has identified eight priority species to focus on in particular,
these include species of alfonsino, squid, sardine and mackerel.
Like other general RFMOs, the NPFC keeps a register of fishing vessels active within its geographical remit, monitors and
reviews compliance with fishing measures, conducts fisheries research, carries out stock assessments, implements fisheries
management measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of those stocks, and assesses impacts of fisheries on ecosystems,
identifying and designating vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) where appropriate. The NPFC also publishes a series of reports
summarising fishing statistics and information about fishing footprints. This information can be accessed on the
NPFC website.
The full text of the NPFC Convention can be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of NPFC members)
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
NAFO is a general RFMO established under the Convention on Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (the NAFO Convention),
adopted in 1978 and in force since 1979, with several amendments since then. The NAFO applies to most fishery resources of the Northwest
Atlantic, with the exception of some highly migratory species covered under other instruments (salmon, tunas/marlins, whales), and sedentary
species (e.g. shellfish). The NAFO Secretariat is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada).
The NAFO Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Council with experts from the 12 Contracting Parties, with four permanent subcommittees on specific topics:
NAFO is further supported by dedicated working groups on topics ranging from bycatch to the application of the ecosystem approach in fisheries management.
Like other general RFMOs, NAFO keeps a register of fishing vessels active within its region, monitors and reviews compliance with fishing measures,
conducts fisheries research, carries out stock assessments, implements fisheries management measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of those stocks,
and assesses impacts of fisheries on ecosystems, identifying and designating vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) where appropriate. NAFO also publishes fisheries statistics,
relevant maps and GIS data, and information about VMEs, fishing footprints and areas within which fisheries measures apply.
Comprehensive information on the structure of NAFO, as well as on its work areas, meetings, and list of publications,
is available on the
NAFO website.
The text of the NAFO Convention can be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of NAFO members)
South-East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO)
SEAFO is a general RFMO established under the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Fisheries Resources in the South
East Atlantic Ocean (the SEAFO Convention), adopted in 2001 and in force since 2003.
Its Secretariat is located in Swakopmund, Namibia.
The Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Committee made up of experts from the Contracting Parties, as well as a Compliance Committee and
a series of ad-hoc working groups on specific topics. The main species caught in the SEAFO CA are deep sea red crab, alfonsino,
Patagonian toothfish, and pelagic armourhead/southern boarfish.
Like other general RFMOs, SEAFO keeps a register of fishing vessels active within its region, monitors and reviews compliance with
fishing measures, conducts fisheries research, carries out stock assessments, implements fisheries management measures to ensure the
long-term sustainability of those stocks, and assesses impacts of fisheries on ecosystems, identifying and designating vulnerable marine
ecosystems (VMEs) where appropriate. SEAFO also publishes fisheries statistics and information about VMEs, fishing footprints and areas
within which fisheries measures apply. This information can be accessed on the
SEAFO website.
The full text of the SEAFO Convention can be found
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of SEAFO members)
South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)
SIOFA was established under an Agreement adopted in 2006 and in force since 2012. Its Secretariat is located in La Réunion, France.
The Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Committee consisting of experts from across the nine Contracting Parties. As a general
RFMO, SIOFA is responsible for the management of a wide variety of fisheries, the principal ones in the region being for Patagonian
toothfish, alfonsino, and orange roughy.
Like other general RFMOs, SIOFA keeps a register of fishing vessels active within its region, monitors and reviews compliance with fishing
measures, conducts fisheries research, carries out stock assessments, implements fisheries management measures to ensure the long-term
sustainability of those stocks, and assesses impacts of fisheries on ecosystems, identifying and designating vulnerable marine ecosystems
(VMEs) where appropriate. SIOFA also publishes fisheries statistics and information about VMEs, fishing footprints and areas within which
fisheries measures apply. This information can be accessed on the
SIOFA website.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of SIOFA members)
South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)
SPRFMO was established under a Convention adopted in 2010 and in force since 2012. Its Secretariat is located in Wellington, New Zealand.
The Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Committee consisting of experts from across the nine Contracting Parties, and a number of working groups
of experts focussing on specific topics in depth. As a general RFMO, SPRFMO is responsible for the management of a wide variety of fisheries, the main
demersal finfish target species being orange roughy, oreos, alfonsino, and bluenose and the main pelagic target species being jack
mackerel and jumbo flying squid.
Like other general RFMOs, SPRFMO keeps a register of fishing vessels active within its region, monitors and reviews compliance with fishing measures,
conducts fisheries research, carries out stock assessments, implements fisheries management measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of those
stocks, and assesses impacts of fisheries on ecosystems, identifying and designating vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) where appropriate.
SPRFMO also publishes fisheries statistics and information about VMEs, fishing footprints and areas within which fisheries measures apply.
This information can be accessed on the
SPRFMO website.
More information about the SPRFMO Convention is available in
booklet.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of SPRFMO members)
Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT)
The Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) is a tuna RFMO established based on the Convention for the Conservation of
Southern Bluefin Tuna (the CCSBT Convention), agreed in 1993 and in force since 1994. The CCSBT Secretariat is based in Canberra, Australia.
Unlike general RFMOs, the CCSBT no specified geographical remit: Its mandate is to manage the global fishery for Southern Bluefin Tuna, a species
that occurs throughout the southern Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Committee of experts from
Contracting Parties, and ad-hoc expert working groups focusing on specific topics.
The CCSBT keeps a register of authorised fishing vessels targeting southern bluefin tuna, conducts research and global stock assessments for the southern
bluefin tuna and ecologically related species, decides and implements fisheries management measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the species,
and monitors compliance with those measures. The CCSBT also publishes statistics on the southern bluefin tuna fishery and information on fisheries measures
it has put in place. This information can be accessed on the CCSBT website.
The CCSBT Convention text can be found
here.
A joint website for information sharing and dissemination across all five tuna RFMOs can be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of CCSBT members)
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is a tuna RFMO established through the Agreement for the Establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
(the IOTC Agreement), signed in 1993 and in force since 1996. The IOTC Secretariat is based in Mahé, Seychelles. Unlike the mandate of general RFMOs,
the mandate of the IOTC has no hard geographical boundary: Based on the IOTC Agreement, its mandate is to manage tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean “and
adjacent seas north of the Antarctic Convergence, insofar as it is necessary to cover such seas for the purpose of conserving and managing stocks that
migrate into the Indian Ocean”.
The Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Committee of experts from Contracting Parties, by working parties of experts focussing in more detail on
specific topics, and by invited experts and consultants as needed. The work of the IOTC extends to fisheries for several tuna and tuna-like species,
including mackerel, marlin, sailfish and swordfish. The IOTC keeps a register of authorised fishing vessels targeting these species in the Indian Ocean,
conducts research and global stock assessments for these species, decides and implements fisheries management measures to ensure their long-term sustainability,
and monitors compliance with those measures. The IOTC also publishes statistics on the fisheries it manages, and information on fisheries measures it has put in place.
This information can be accessed on the
IOTC website.
The text of the IOTC Agreement can be read
here.
A joint website for information sharing and dissemination across all five tuna RFMOs can be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of IOTC members)
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is a tuna RFMO established through the International
Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT Convention), signed in Rio de Janeiro in 1966 and in force since 1969.
It currently has 26 signatories, including the European Economic Community. The ICCAT Secretariat is based in Madrid, Spain.
ICCAT is responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas, which includes
the management of fisheries for about 30 species of tuna, swordfish, marlin, sailfish, spearfish, mackerel, and others. ICCAT undertakes a
range of work required for the study and management of these species, with a principal focus on the effects of fishing on stock abundance.
This includes the collection and analysis of statistical information on conditions and trends of the fishery resources and the compilation of
data for bycatch. ICCAT also keeps a register of authorised fishing vessels targeting these species in the Atlantic Ocean, decides and implements
fisheries management measures to ensure their long-term sustainability, and monitors compliance with those measures.
The Secretariat is supported by a Standing Committee on Research and Statistics, consisting of experts from Contracting Parties,
who in turn draw from a range or research activities carried out at national research institutes and universities of Contracting Parties.
Like other RFMOs, ICCAT publishes statistics on the fisheries it manages, and information on fisheries measures it has put in place.
This information can be accessed on the
ICCAT website.
The full text of the ICCAT treaty can be accessed
here.
A joint website for information sharing and dissemination across all five tuna RFMOs can be accessed here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of ICCAT members)
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) is a tuna RFMO established through the Convention for the Establishment of an Inter-American
Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC Convention), originally signed by the USA and Costa Rica in 1949. The number of signatories has since grown to 21
(20 states plus the European Union), and the Convention has been updated and strengthened through the 2003 Antigua Convention, signed and ratified
by most (but not all) signatories of the original IATTC Convention. The IATTC Secretariat is based in La Jolla, California, USA.
The IATTC is responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean in a region defined in the Antigua Convention.
In the west, this geographical remit overlaps with that of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). Like other RFMOs,
IATTC keeps a register of authorised fishing vessels targeting these species in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, decides and implements
fisheries management measures to ensure their long-term sustainability, and monitors compliance with those measures.
The IATTC has four research programmes: Stock Assessment; Biology and Ecosystem; Data Collection and Database; and the Bycatch and International Dolphin Conservation
Program (IDCP). Through these programs, the IATTC collects and analyses statistical information on conditions and trends of the tuna fishery in the eastern tropical
Pacific Ocean, and researches dolphin bycatch. With the objective of eliminating the latter, the IATTC developed a separate multilateral agreement, the
Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP),
which came into force in 1999 and has been signed and ratified by 14 of the 21 signatories of the main
IATTC Convention.
To support the stock assessment work, the IATTC collaborated with Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the US National Marine Fisheries Service to found the
Center for the Advancement of Population Assessment Methodology.
The IATTC has also established the
Achotines Laboratory,
, designed specifically to research the early life history of tropical tunas. Like other RFMOs, the IATTC publishes a number of reports compiling statistics on the
fisheries it manages, information on registered fishing vessels active in those fisheries, and information on fisheries measures it has put in place.
This information can be accessed on the
IATTC website.
The text of the IATTC Convention can be accessed here, and that of the Antigua Convention
here.
A joint website for information sharing and dissemination across all five tuna RFMOs can be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of IATTC members)
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is a tuna RFMO established through the Convention for the Conservation and
Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPF Convention), agreed in 2000 and in force since 2004.
It currently has 25 signatories, and seven Territories (American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia,
Wallis and Futuna, and Tokelau) also participate in the work of WCPFC. The WCPFC Secretariat is based in Kolonia, Federated States of Micronesia.
WCPFC is responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species (tuna, billfish, marlin) in the western and central Pacific Ocean. The geographical
remit of WCPFC covers almost 20 per cent of the Earth’s surface, from 60 degrees south to Alaska and the Bering Sea. In the east, it overlaps the area of
competence of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
WCFPC carries out research related to the fisheries of these species, with a principal focus on the effects of fishing on stock abundance.
This includes the collection and analysis of statistical information on conditions and trends of the fishery resources and the compilation
of data for bycatch. WCFPC also keeps a register of authorised fishing vessels targeting these species in the western and central Pacific
Ocean, decides and implements fisheries management measures to ensure their long-term sustainability, and monitors compliance with those measures.
The Secretariat is supported by a Scientific Committee as well as a Technical and Compliance Committee, consisting of experts from
Contracting Parties. The WCPFC maintains a close collaborative relationship with the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA),
an organization comprised of independent Pacific Island countries who share a common fisheries interest in the Pacific Ocean
region and whose members are also members of the WCPFC. The WCPFC also collaborates closely with the Secretariat of the Pacific
Community (SPC) in the collection and processing of scientific data on fishing activities in the region.
Like other RFMOs, WCPFC publishes statistics on the fisheries it manages, and information on fisheries measures it has put in place.
This information can be accessed on the
WCPFC website.
The full text of the WCPFC Convention can be accessed
here.
A joint website for information sharing and dissemination across all five tuna RFMOs can be accessed here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of WCPFC members)
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO)
The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) is a specialised RFMO established by the 1983 Convention for the Conservation of
Salmon in the North Atlantic Ocean (NASCO Convention). The objective of NASCO is to conserve and manage Atlantic salmon through international
co-operation taking account of the best available scientific information. While the NASCO Convention as a clear geographical focus on the north
Atlantic (its members are Denmark - in respect of the Faroes and Greenland, the European Union, Norway, Russia, Canada, and the USA), its
geographical remit doesn’t have a legally defined hard boundary. Instead, the geographical remit extends to the global distribution range
of the Atlantic salmon. Specifically, the NASCO “applies to the salmon stocks which migrate beyond areas of fisheries jurisdiction of coastal
States of the Atlantic Ocean north of 36°N latitude throughout their migratory range”.
In addition to the main Council representing the six Contracting Parties, NASCO has separate Commissions focussing on the north-east Atlantic, north
America, and west Greenland regions, respectively. The NASCO Secretariat is based in Edinburgh, UK. It relies on scientific information from both
ICES (the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas
and its own
International Atlantic Salmon Research Board (IASRB).
Further information can be found on the
NASCO website,
and the NASCO Conventioncan be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of NASCO members)
North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC)
The North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) is a specialised RFMO focused on the management and conservation of commercially exploited anadromous fish
(i.e. fish that migrate from the sea into freshwater to spawn) in the north Pacific region, including several species of salmon, and trout.
The Secretariat is supported by a Committee on Scientific Research and Statistics, and several working groups on scientific topics as well as on enforcement.
The SSC also coordinates cooperation with other international organizations, such as the
North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES),
and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO).
Further information is available on the
NPAFC website,
and the NPAFC Convention can be accessed
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of NPAFC members)
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (CCBSP)
The Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (the CCBSP), signed in 1994 and in
force since 1995, can be viewed as a specialised RFMO, although the it currently does not have a Secretariat. The Contracting Parties
are China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Poland, Russia and the USA. The objectives of the CCBSP are to establish an international regime
for conservation, management, and optimum utilization of pollock resources in the high seas area of the Bering Sea.
Further information is available
here and
here.
The text of the CCBSP can be found
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of CCSBP Contracting Parties)
North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO)
The North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) is a regional intergovernmental organisation with a remit to foster cooperation on conservation, management and
study of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and pinnipeds (seals and walruses) in the North Atlantic. The organisation was established by the 1992 NAMMCO
Agreement, signed by the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. NAMMCO’s geographical area of competence is the North Atlantic Ocean, without that being
defined by hard boundaries in the Agreement. Its Secretariat is based in Tromsø, Norway.
Because NAMMCO’s remit relates to the management of hunting for marine mammals and not fish, there might be some debate over whether it should be viewed as a specialised RFMO or not.
It has been included here because it focuses on the management of hunting of marine species, and it is a regional (not a global) organisation.
(An argument could also be made for the International Whaling Commission to be considered an RFMO, as it has the legal mandate to implement management measures for whales,
however, it is not included here because it is a global organisation, not a regional one).
To find out more about NAMMCO,
click here.
here.
***placeholder: map window*** (map of NAMMCO Contracting Parties)
Western Central Atlantic Fisheries Commission (WECAFC)
WECAFC is an advisory body established under Article VI of the FAO Constitution. Its Secretariat is provided by the FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean in Bridgetown, Barbados. Further information can be found
here.
Fisheries Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)
CECAFC is an advisory body established under Article VI of the FAO Constitution. Its Secretariat is provided by the FAO Regional Office for Africa in Accra, Ghana. Further information can be found
here.