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Convention
on the Conservation and Management of the Highly Migratory Fish
Stocks of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean
Done at Honolulu, 5 September 2000
In force 19
June 2004
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Membership
As of 31 Jan 2005 |
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Australia,
China, Cook
Islands, Federated
States of Micronesia,
Fiji, Kiribati, Korea (Rep. of), Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa,
Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu |
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Broadly
speaking, the area of competence of the Commission is the
Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Article 3 of the
Convention
provides a detailed delimitation.
[Map] |
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Highly
migratory fish stocks, defined as all
fish stocks of the species listed in Annex 1 of the
LOS
Convention occurring in the Convention Area, and such other
species of fish as the Commission may determine. |
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To
ensure, through effective management, the long-term conservation
and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks in the
western and central Pacific Ocean in accordance with the
LOS
Convention
and the
UN Fish Stocks Agreement. |
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The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission was
established under the
Convention on the Conservation
and Management of the Highly Migratory Fish Stocks of the Western
and Central Pacific Ocean. That Convention was adopted
in September 2000, following
several years of rather complex negotiations including seven
formal negotiating sessions (known as the
Multilateral High-Level Conference on the Conservation and
Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and
Central Pacific or MHLC). Following
the Convention’s entry into force in June 2004, the inaugural
meeting of the Commission took place in December 2004, although at
this time work in the implementation of the Convention had already
taken place through a Preparatory Conference, which met in seven
sessions between April 2001 and December 2004. |
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The Commission is open to certain specified countries listed in
the Convention, who are entitled as of right to sign, ratify or
accede to the Convention (being those countries which were
accorded full participatory rights in the MHLC). These countries
are: Australia, Canada, China, Cook Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Fiji, France, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Korea (Rep.
of), Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, United
Kingdom (in respect of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno
Islands), United States and Vanuatu.
Other States and regional economic integration organizations,
whose nationals and fishing vessels wish to conduct fishing for
highly migratory fish stocks in the Convention Area, may also join
the Commission, subject to approval by a consensus of the parties.
The Commission also provides for participation by fishing
entities, which is enabled by means of an
Arrangement for the
Participation of Fishing Entities (which was signed by
Chinese Taipei on 5 September 2000). |
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The Commission consists of three main bodies:
the
Commission itself and two subsidiary bodies, a Scientific Committee and a
Technical and Compliance Committee. The Commission may also establish such
other subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary, including working groups for
the purpose of examining technical issues relating to particular species or
stocks, and is further required to establish a committee to make
recommendations on the implementation of conservation and management
measures for the area north of the 20° parallel of north latitude and on the
formulation of such measures in respect of stocks which occur mostly in this
area.
Commission
The
Commission, which is to meet ordinarily at once per year, is the main
decision-making body and is empowered to adopt recommendations on a
wide-range of matters (see below). Depending on their nature, decisions are
either taken by consensus or by majority vote (in which case a procedure for
objection is also provided).
Scientific Committee
The
functions of the Committee include: recommending research plans; reviewing
assessments, analyses and recommendations prepared by scientific experts and
providing information, advice and comments thereon; promoting cooperation in
scientific research; reviewing the results of research and analyses of
target stocks or non-target or associated or dependent species and reporting
findings or conclusions on the status of such stocks; and recommending
priorities and objectives of the regional observer programme and assessing
the results of that programme.
Technical and Compliance Committee
The
functions of the Technical and Compliance Committee are to: provide the
Commission with information, technical advice and recommendations relating
to the implementation of, and compliance with, conservation and management
measures; monitor and review compliance with conservation and management
measures; and review the implementation of cooperative measures for
monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement.
Secretariat
The
functions of the Secretariat include the following: receiving and
transmitting the Commission’s official communications; facilitating the
compilation and dissemination of data; preparing administrative and other
reports; administering agreed arrangements for monitoring, control and
surveillance and the provision of scientific advice; publishing the
decisions of and promoting the activities of the Commission; and treasury,
personnel and other administrative functions. |
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The main functions of the Commission include:
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adopting conservation and management measures and recommendations,
including setting the total allowable catch and level of fishing effort
for specific stocks, to ensure the long-term sustainability of fish
stocks; |
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allocating the total allowable catch or the total level of fishing
effort amongst members, and developing criteria for decisions on such
allocations (based on principles set out in the Convention), including
agreeing on means by which the fishing interests of any new member may
be accommodated; |
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adopting generally recommended international minimum standards for
the responsible conduct of fishing operations; |
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establishing mechanisms for monitoring, control, surveillance and
enforcement, including a vessel monitoring system; |
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promoting cooperation and coordination between members of the
Commission to ensure that conservation and management measures for
highly migratory fish stocks in areas under national jurisdiction and
measures for the same stocks on the high seas are compatible; |
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adopting, where necessary, conservation and management measures and
recommendations for non-target species and species dependent on or
associated with the target stocks, with a view to maintaining or
restoring populations of such species above levels at which their
reproduction may become seriously threatened; and |
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adopting standards for collection, verification and for the timely
exchange and reporting of data and compiling and disseminating data. |
In
adopting measures for the high seas, the Commission is to ensure
compatibility with measures adopted for areas under national jurisdiction
and measures are also to be consistent with the precautionary approach and
certain other general principles of responsible fisheries management
(specified in the Convention).
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