Recommended best practices for RFMOs

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Recommended best practices for RFMOs

• Report of an Independent High-Level Panel

Michael Lodge OECD, Paris - Associate Fellow,
Chatham House
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• Background the work of the panel
• Objectives
• Outcomes summary of recommended best practice
• Consultation and timetable

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The work of the panel

• Commissioned by Canada, UK, Australia, NZ, WWF,
  IUCN
• Implements a proposal of the High Seas Task Force
• Independent panel members participate in
  individual capacities
• Hosted by RIIA (Chatham House)
• Two meetings of the panel (September 2006 and
  February 2007)
• Supplemented by pieces of commissioned analysis
  and Chatham House Briefing Papers

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Why RFMOs?
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Objectives

• Analyze what constitutes best practice
• Basing the analysis on requirements of
  international fishery instruments
• Should be viewed in context of ongoing
• efforts to strengthen and enhance cooperation
  among existing and developing RFMOs (St. Johns,
  UNFSA Review Conference, Tuna RFMO performance
  review criteria)
• need to develop and apply best practice
  guidelines (UNFSA Review Conference, UNGA
  Resolution)
• Aim to promote a more systematic approach to
  UNFSA implementation
• And to identify emerging best practice looking
  to the future

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Outcomes

• A summary of best practice
• The report a user manual for RFMOs
• Supplemented by commissioned work on subjects of
  particular interest
• Measures applied by RFMOs to non-members
  (cooperating non-members and others)
• Review of application of precautionary approach
  and ecosystem-based management in RFMOs
• Assessment of bioeconomic modelling (forthcoming)

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Summary of recommended best practices

• Basic principle is that RFMOs embody the duty of
  all States to cooperate with other States whose
  nationals fish in the same area or for the same
  stocks in taking measures necessary for the
  conservation of the stocks
• Recommended best practice organized around 7
  thematic headings
• General cooperation
• Conservation and management practices
• Compliance and enforcement practices
• Decision-making practice
• Dispute settlement practices
• Special requirements of developing countries
• Institutional practices

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Key points

• Overriding objective of conservation and
  management
• Must deal with allocation
• Must accommodate new members in a way that
  maintains stability
• Must eliminate IUU and not allow non-members to
  undermine cooperative arrangements
• Management strategies must reflect precautionary
  approach
• Comprehensive MCS
• Decision-making transparent and linked to
  procedures for resolving differences. Failure to
  reach decisions must not be allowed to compromise
  sustainability.
• Compulsory and expeditious dispute settlement
• Requirements of developing States participation,
  programmes of assistance, development of
  fisheries
• Robust institutional structure so as not to
  impede core objective, including transparent and
  adequate financing, clear process for medium-term
  strategic planning and regular review process.

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Consultation and timetable

• Draft report released 8 April 2007.
• www.illegal-fishing.info
• http//www.closingthenet.info/project_promote.htm
• http//www.chathamhouse.org.uk/index.php?id391
• Stakeholder comments due now (still time)
• Revision and report publication June 2007