ICCAT

SUMMARY INFORMATION

Establishment

International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
Done at Rio de Janeiro, 14 May 1966
Entered into force on 21 March 1969

Membership
As of 31 Jan 2005

Algeria, Angola, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Equatorial Guinea, European Community, France (St. Pierre et Miquelon), Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Conakry, Honduras, Iceland, Japan, Korea (Rep. of), Libya, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Russian Federation, São Tomé and Principé, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom (Anguilla, Bermuda, St. Helena, Turks and Caicos), United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela

Geographical scope

The Convention applies to all waters of the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas, including the Mediterranean Sea. There is no precise definition in terms of longitude and latitude. The longitude of 20^oE is used for scientific purposes as the border between the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean.
[Map]

Material scope

The species covered by the Commission are the tuna and tuna-like species and such other species of fish exploited in tuna fishing in the Convention area that are not under the investigation of any other international organization.

Main objectives

To cooperate in maintaining the population of tunas and tuna-like species found in the Atlantic Ocean and the adjacent seas at levels that will permit the maximum sustainable catch for food and other purposes.

DESCRIPTION

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas was established in 1969, following the entry into force of the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, which was prepared and adopted at a Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Rio de Janeiro in 1966. ICCAT is the principal body in the Atlantic responsible for tunas. Approximately thirty species are of direct concern to ICCAT: Atlantic bluefin, yellowfin, albacore and bigeye tuna; swordfish; billfishes such as white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish and spearfish; mackerels such as spotted Spanish mackerel and king mackerel; and small tunas such as skipjack, black skipjack, frigate tuna and Atlantic bonito. For these species, ICCAT has, since its establishment, adopted a wide-range of regulatory measures and conducted a high volume of scientific research.

Membership

The Commission is open to any Government which is a Member of the United Nations or of any specialized agency of the United Nations and to any inter-governmental economic integration organization constituted by States that have transferred to it competence over the matters governed by the Convention, including the competence to enter into treaties in respect of those matters. Instruments of ratification, approval, or adherence may be deposited with the Director-General of the FAO, and membership is effective on the date of such deposit.

Structure

ICCAT has a rather complicated structure. In addition to the Commission itself, which is the main decision-making body and composed of all members, there are a number of other bodies, which have various compositions:


Council: consists of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Commission together with the representatives of not less than four and not more than eight Contracting Parties; responsible for performing intersessional tasks of the Commission

Secretariat: Coordinates and facilitates the work of the Commission


four Panels (on Tropical Tunas, Northern Temperate Tunas, Southern Temperate Tunas and Swordfish, Billfishes and Small Tunas): review research results and draft management measures


Compliance Committee: reviews compliance by contracting parties


Permanent Working Group (PWG) on ICCAT Statistics and Conservation Measures: reviews compliance by non-member States


Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS): coordinates and executes all matters related to monitoring and assessment; oversees the following sub-committees:


Species Groups: assess individual stocks and provide advice to the Panels

Subcommittee on Statistics: quality control and policy for fishery statistics

Subcommittee on the Environment: studies the effects of the environment on ICCAT fisheries

Subcommittee on Bycatch: reviews data collection for by-catches (principally sharks)


Miscellaneous SCRS Groups:


Cooperative Billfish Tagging Program: coordinates tagging of billfishes

Bluefin Year Program: coordinates research on Atlantic bluefin

Bigeye Year Program: coordinates research on bigeye tuna

Methods Working Group: evaluates assessment methods

Ad Hoc Working Group on the Precautionary Approach: examines the implications of the Precautionary Approach for ICCAT stocks

Ad Hoc Working Group on SCRS Organization: provides advice on measures to improve the efficiency of the SCRS


Standing Committee on Finance and Administration


Special Working Groups - Working Group on Allocation Criteria: evaluates criteria for the allocation of allowable catches amongst contracting parties.

Functions

The Commission is empowered, on the basis of scientific evidence, to recommend management measures and Resolutions aimed carrying out its objective of maintaining the populations of tuna and tuna-like fishes at levels which will permit maximum sustainable catch. Normally, Recommendations and Resolutions are drafted by the subsidiary bodies such as the 4 species-group Panels, or the Compliance Committee, and are presented to the Commission for adoption. Recommendations enter into force subject to an objection procedure.

Since its establishment, ICCAT has employed a wide range of tools for the conservation and management of the stocks within its competence, including: total allowable catches and catch quotas, size limits, effort restriction, observer programmes, closed areas and seasons, vessel registration and information exchange, gear restrictions, enforcement measures, etc.