Background

Photo: Kim Westerskov

The sixth international consultation on the establishment of the South Pacific RFMO will be held from 6 - 10 October 2008 at the Rydges Lakeside, Canberra, ACT, Australia.  (click here)

A Chilean jack mackerel workshop will be held in Santiago, Chile from 30 June - 4 July 2008. 

(click here)

 A gap exists in the international conservation and management of non-highly migratory fisheries and protection of biodiversity in the marine environment in high seas areas of the South Pacific Ocean. The gap extends from the most eastern part of the South Indian Ocean through the Pacific towards the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of South America. Non-highly migratory fisheries in this area are mainly discrete high seas stocks, although some stocks straddle the high seas and the EEZs of coastal states. While several states have already targeted these species on the high seas and continue to do so, the area is not covered by an organisation with the competence to establish appropriate conservation and management measures.

There have been widespread calls to urgently address the gaps in the management of high seas fisheries and to cooperate in the establishment of new fisheries management arrangements with comprehensive mandates to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of fish stocks and to protect biodiversity in the marine environment.

In 2006, Australia, Chile and New Zealand initiated a process for states to cooperate in addressing these gaps in the international conservation and management framework through the establishment of a new regional fisheries management organisation (RFMO). There are now over 20 states, as well as IGOs and NGOs, engaged in this process. The first meeting on the establishment of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation took place from 14 - 17 February 2006. The second meeting took place in Hobart, Australia from 6 - 10 November 2006. The  third meeting took place from 30 April - 4 May 2007 in Reñaca, Chile. Click here for interim measures agreed at the Reñaca meeting. The fourth meeting took place from 10 - 14 September 2007 in Noumea, New Caledonia. The fifth meeting was held in Guayaquil, Ecuador, from 10 – 14 March 2008, with the SWG and DIWG meeting during 3 -7 March.

Photo: NIWA

It is envisaged that the new RFMO will be established and operate consistent with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) and the United Nations Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks 1995 (UNFSA), and best practice.

While other RFMOs, such the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention (WCPFC) and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention (IATTC) cover parts of this region, their mandates cover only highly migratory species. Fisheries that could be covered by this RFMO are predominantly discrete high seas stocks and those stocks which straddle the high seas and the EEZs of coastal states. These fisheries are both pelagic and demersal.