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Resolution 1/127 of the FAO
Council
Statutes of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission
Established by the FAO Council at its
127th Session,
November 2004 under Article VI(1) of the
FAO Constitution.
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Membership
As of 31 Jan 2005 |
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South
West Indian Ocean. Article 1 of the Statutes
provides a detailed delimitation.
See Map. |
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The Commission covers all living marine
resources, without prejudice to the management responsibilities
and authority of other competent fisheries and other living marine
resources management organizations or arrangements in the area. |
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To promote the sustainable utilization of the
living marine resources of the Commission area by the proper
management and development of the living marine resources, and to
address common problems of fisheries management and development
faced by members. |
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SWIOFC was established in
November 2004 by
Resolution 1/127 of the FAO
Council and under Article
VI(1) of the
FAO Constitution
as a regional fisheries advisory body for coastal States in the
South West Indian Ocean region.
The first session of the Commission took place in
Mombassa, Kenya
in April 2005.
The establishment of the Commission was the result of a number
of inter-governmental consultations, held over several years,
which originally had the objective of establishing an organization
with wider competence, covering also the high seas areas of the
region. In the later stages of the negotiations, it was decided to
negotiate two separate mechanisms - one for the coastal States of
the region (SWIOFC) and one concerning high seas fisheries and
open to all interested States in the region.
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The Commission is open to Members and Associate
Members of FAO that are coastal States whose territories are
situated wholly or partly within the Commission area. |
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The main decision-making forum of the Commission are
meetings of the members, which are to be held at least once every two years.
The Commission has a wide-range of functions and responsibilities, as
described below.
The Commission is also to establish a Scientific Committee,
to consider the state of fisheries in the area of competence and to advise
on the scientific basis for possible regulatory measures to be considered
for adoption by the Commission members, and may establish, on an ad hoc basis, such other committees or working
parties as it may consider necessary on problems of major importance or of a
specialized nature.
SWIOFC is established as
a subsidiary body of FAO under Article VI(1) of the
FAO Constitution
and as such FAO retains administrative and financial control over the
Commission. In particular, the establishment of subsidiary bodies by SWIOFC
is subject to budgetary approval by FAO and
the Commission must
submit reports on its activities and recommendations to the FAO
Director-General which are to be taken into consideration when preparing the
draft Programme of Work and Budget of FAO.
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The Statutes of the Commission set out a long list of
functions and responsibilities, which include:
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to contribute to improved
governance through institutional arrangements that encourage cooperation
amongst members; |
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to help fishery managers in the
development and implementation of fishery management systems that take
due account of environmental, social and economic concerns; |
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to keep under review the state
of the fishery resources in the area and the industries based on them; |
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to promote, encourage and
coordinate research and the collection, exchange, dissemination and
analysis of statistical, biological, environmental and socio-economic
data and other marine fishery information; |
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to provide a sound scientific
basis to assist members in taking fisheries management decisions; |
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to provide advice on management
measures to member governments and competent fisheries organizations; |
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to provide advice and promote
co-operation on monitoring, control and surveillance, including joint
activities, especially as regards issues of a regional or sub-regional
nature; |
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to encourage, recommend and
coordinate training; |
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to promote and encourage the
utilization of the most appropriate fishing craft, gear, fishing
techniques and post harvesting technologies; and |
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to promote liaison with all
competent institutions within the area served by the Commission and
adjacent waters. |
In carrying out these functions, the Commission is to have due regard for and promote the
application of the provisions of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries, including the precautionary approach and the ecosystem approach
to fisheries management. It is also to work closely with any agreement or
arrangement for the management and conservation of the high seas fisheries
resources of the Southern Indian Ocean, including by holding back-to-back
meetings.
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