Transcript DRAFT Discussion Paper: Implementing Mechanism for the

Brussels Rural Development Briefings
Briefing session n°10: Fighting against Illegal, Unreported and
Unregulated fishing (IUU):
Impacts and challenges for ACP countries
29th April, Brussels
The role of an ACP regional organisation in fighting IUU fishing: CRFM
prepared by
Terrence Phillips
CRFM Secretariat
Outline
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Map of the Caribbean
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Importance of the fisheries sector in the CARIFORUM/CARICOM Region
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Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)
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Current IUU fishing issues
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EC regulation and the challenges for its implementation
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Main elements of the MCS strategy
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Role of the CRFM in fighting IUU fishing
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Conclusion
Map of the Caribbean
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ATLANTIC
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GULF OF
MEXICO
Bahamas
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Turks and Caicos I
Mexico
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Cuba
Cayman I.
Jamaica
Colombia
Belize
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Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
St. Martin/St. Marten 20 oN
St. Kitts & Nevis
Montserrat
Guadeloupe
Dominica
Martinique
St. Lucia
Barbados
St. Vincent & Grenadines
Grenada
Venezuela
Trinidad & Tobago
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Panama
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Costa Rica
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Nicaragua
PACIFIC
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Haiti Dominican Puerto Rico
Republic
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Gu
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Honduras
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Fisheries sector - in the CARICOM/CARIFORUM region
• Employs over 182,000 persons, directly or indirectly, who are
mainly from small scale fisheries in rural communities which
lack other income earning opportunities.
• Produced approximately 195,000 MT, with an estimated value of
over US$500 million (2000).
•
Earns over US $150 million per year from export.
• Is a major source of protein , especially in rural communities.
Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)
Inaugurated: 26 March 2003 in Belize (HQ). Eastern Caribbean Office – St. Vincent and the
Grenadines
Members: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada,
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Mission: to promote and facilitate the responsible utilization of the region’s fisheries and other
aquatic resources for the economic and social benefits of the current and future population of
the region.
Objectives:
the efficient management and sustainable development of marine and other aquatic
resources within the jurisdiction of Member States
the promotion and establishment of cooperative arrangements among interested States for
the efficient management of shared, straddling or highly migratory marine and other aquatic
resources
the provision of technical advisory and consultative services to fisheries divisions of
Member States in the development, management and conservation of their marine and other
aquatic resources.
Current IUU fishing issues
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Full extent of IUU fishing in the CARICOM/CARIFORUM region is not quantified.
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Poaching is a significant problem in countries with high value species such as
conch and lobster stocks in Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas; shrimp in
Guyana and Suriname; and tunas in the Eastern Caribbean Islands.
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Throughout the region, the capability for MCS is inadequate to ensure
compliance with existing legislation and regulations.
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Non-compliance by national and foreign fishers with the conditions of their
licenses.
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Inadequate capacity of flag states to effectively monitor
operating on the high seas.
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Insufficient awareness among stakeholders and the public at large about the
negative effects of IUU fishing.
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Inadequate regional cooperation and coordination in MCS operations.
flagged vessels
The EC regulation and the challenges for its implementation
The catch certification system
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Will apply to the EU countries in Europe as well as territories in the Caribbean,
including Martinique and Guadeloupe which are particularly important markets for some
of the OECS states.
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Will apply to all fish imports regardless of the way they enter the EU market whether it
be from landings in ports, air cargo, sea container, trucks or other means.
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As a minimum, the flag state will have to have in place a mandatory system comprised
of (i) procedures for registration of fishing vessels; (ii) procedures for licensing of the
vessels to permit them to catch the fish they intend to export; and (iii) procedures for
monitoring and obtaining catch information from the vessels.
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Member States that already have SPS systems and are exporting to the EU will have a
capability in place from which to build the administration of the certification system.
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In some cases, SPS systems are not within the fisheries departments, for example,
where the veterinary services are the competent authorities, so it is unlikely that they
would assume responsibility for this catch certification.
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Capability might then have to reside either in the fisheries departments, maritime
authorities, coast guards or marine police.
The EC regulation and the challenges for its implementation
cont’d
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Will require the implementation of appropriate legislative and administrative
measures to ensure compliance.
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Will have to establish the necessary administrative capability to monitor and
control the operations of their fishing vessels; and implement effective
fisheries management measures such as fishing authorisations and data
collection systems.
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Will need to assess their internal systems and capability to identify gaps and
specific actions that might be needed to meet the new EC requirements.
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Will require redeployment of human and financial resources to establish the
required system, including preparing legislation and procedural documents
in cases where they are not already in place; train staff of the competent
(certifying) authority and fishermen; and strengthen the logistical system for
licensing and registration, and MCS.
Main elements of the MCS strategy
The strategy for effective MCS at the national and regional levels would entail a
two-pronged approach:
- Preventive approach to encourage voluntary compliance through a process of
education and awareness to obtain support for fisheries management strategies
and efforts to combat IUU fishing.
- Deterrent/enforcement approach to ensure compliance by fishers and other
stakeholders who resist the regulatory regime.
The main elements of the Strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of MCS would
include:
•Implementation of international instruments, including the IPOA –IUU.
•Development and implementation of national plans of action (NPOAs).
•Establishment or strengthening of regional databases and other information
systems.
•Strengthening regional fisheries bodies and improving their effectiveness.
•Flag states cooperating with other states through information exchange and other
means to ensure compliance.
Role of the CRFM in fighting IUU fishing
The role of the CRFM in combating IUU Fishing should include the following:
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Encourage ratification, accession, acceptance or adoption, where
necessary, of the relevant international instruments for fisheries
management and compliance.
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Promote the development of NPOAs to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU
fishing.
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Promote improved and harmonized fisheries legislation throughout the
region.
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Promote development of MOUs or other mechanisms to share information,
surveillance and enforcement resources among neighbouring states in
order to improve surveillance and enforcement.
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Promote the establishment or strengthening of regional databases and
other information systems, including data/information on fishing vessels,
catch, effort, etc.
Role of the CRFM in fighting IUU fishing cont’d
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Promote collaboration and coordination among states, and in
particular, regional cooperation on port state control.
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Develop a network of national VMS systems to track vessels
authorized to fish in the EEZs and on the high seas.
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Strengthen national and regional institutional capacity and
infrastructure through the assistance of international agencies
and organizations.
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Promote the implementation of internationally agreed market
measures.
Conclusion
The similarity in the socio-economic importance of fishing to each Member
State in providing food supply, employment and hard currency requires that the
fisheries resources must be managed in a manner to ensure sustainability. IUU
fishing is a threat that will undoubtedly affect CARIFORUM/CARICOM States
because it is a significant obstacle to sound management of the fishing
industry. The responses should be through cooperative and coordinated
measures. The CRFM is well placed to promote fisheries management,
including the implementation of strategies to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU
fishing. To this effect, the CRFM Member State are in the process of elaborating
a Common Fisheries Policy and finalising a Draft Declaration on IUU Fishing.
At present, the existing MCS and enforcement functions are not as effective as
required due to severe human and financial resource constraints within the
region’s fisheries administrations. With the advent of the EC regulation to
prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing, this situation will be compounded for
those Member States exporting to or intending to export fish and fish products
to the EU. As such, the EU needs to take into account the capacity constraints
facing developing countries and regional fisheries bodies and be prepared to
provide technical assistance and training to such countries and bodies to
facilitate the implementation of the catch certification scheme.