| FI:STF/2002/2
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| FI:STF/2002/2
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TECHNICAL CONSULTATION ON IMPROVING INFORMATION ON THE STATUS AND TRENDS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES |
Rome, Italy, 25-28 March 2002 |
PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVING INFORMATION ON STATUS AND TRENDS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES |
I. IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION ON STATUS AND TRENDS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES
II. NEED TO IMPROVE INFORMATION ON STATUS AND TRENDS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES
IV. VIEWS EXPRESSED BY TWENTY-FOURTH SESSION OF COFI
VI. MATTERS TO BE DECIDED BY THE TECHNICAL CONSULTATION
INTERNATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION FOR IMPROVING INFORMATION ON STATUS AND TRENDS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES
1. Objective, reliable and credible information on the status and trends of capture fisheries is the foundation of policy development for fisheries, and of fisheries management actions. There are many legal instruments that require such information, including the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea, the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and recently adopted FAO International Plans of Action.
2. For decades, the FAO Secretariat has compiled information on the status and trends of fisheries, and such reports have been received by COFI with great interest. Similar reports are prepared by some countries, and by regional fisheries bodies, for the fisheries under their jurisdictions.
3. Information on the status and trends of fisheries has, in part, stimulated important initiatives to make fisheries more responsible. For example, concerns about clear signs of over-exploitation of important fish stocks prompted COFI to undertake preparation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (See Annex 1, Paragraph 2 of the Code). Similarly, concerns about excess fishing capacity prompted COFI to undertake preparation of an International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity (See Paragraphs 1 and 3 of the Plan). COFI was responding to evidence of over-exploitation and excess capacity contained in reports on the status and trends of fisheries, and related documents.
4. At the national and regional level, information on the status and trends of fisheries has also stimulated important initiatives to make fisheries more responsible.
5. Some of the uses of information on the status and trends of fisheries at the national and regional levels, are to:
6. Information on the status and trends of fisheries is of great interest to the news media and the public. Ultimately, fishery policy makers and fisheries managers must be responsive to public opinion, which is shaped by information on the status and trends of fisheries. Therefore, it is critically important that such information be objective, reliable, understandable, and as complete as possible.
7. The First Session (December 1997) of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries Research (ACFR) commended the Secretariat's reports on status and trends of fisheries, and it noted the important influence of these reports on public opinion and policy-making. However, ACFR also raised several concerns about the way status and trends information is assembled and disseminated, and it recommended that improvements be made. ACFR's report was considered by the Twenty-third session of COFI (1998), and it agreed that improvements were needed in FAO's monitoring of fish stocks (Paragraph 74).
8. Some of the issues that may raise concern about the current approach for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries and which can be much improved are highlighted in the paragraphs that follow.
Transparency
9. At present, status and trends information disseminated by FAO is assembled and analyzed through an internalized process of the Secretariat. It is difficult in some cases to ascertain the source of information or assumptions that are made in assembling and interpreting information. A more systematic collation of information from regional fishery bodies and countries would clearly attribute the source to all information and show assumptions made.
Quality Assurance
10. The quality of the information used to prepare reports on the status and trends of fisheries is often not documented, and peer review of the interpretation of status and trends information is often limited to internal review. Provision of indications of information and broader peer review could enhance the reliability and utility of status and trends reports.
Credibility
11. While FAO's reports on the status and trends of fisheries are highly regarded and widely accepted, they are sometimes challenged by environmentalists who are concerned that overfishing is a more serious problem than the reports indicated, and by fishing industry interests that consider the reports too pessimistic. The credibility of the reports is at risk because of the presumed lack of transparency and limited quality assurance.
Comprehensiveness
12. Current FAO reports on fishery resources track the status and trends of only about 200 of the world's fishery resources (stocks or stock complexes). It is unknown how many groups should be covered for a comprehensive global assessment, but it is probably many times more. The resources that are important to developing countries are probably the most underrepresented in current reports.
Scope of Information
13. Current reports primarily consider the status and trends of fishery landings and, where available, the state of the fishery resources. Other, increasingly important information, such as measures of fishing capacity and ecological indicators of sustainability, could be improved. Major international research programmes such as the Census of Marine Life which will describe the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine organisms will contribute this. Economic and social information needs to be adequately represented.
Partnerships
14. There are many organizations and scientists at the local, national and regional level, which could make valuable contributions on the status and trends of fisheries. However, since they have no formal involvement with FAO in the preparation of reports on the status and trends of fisheries, they have little incentive to contribute. Formal partnerships are needed to specify roles, responsibilities and rights.
Quality of Data and Assessments of Stock and Fishery Status
15. Ultimately, information on status and trends of fisheries, at the local, national, regional, and global levels, depends on the quality of the data and assessments that are available for individual fisheries or resources. The needs, and responsibility, for collecting data and conducting assessments of resource status are articulated in many instruments, including national legislation in most countries, the conventions of regional fisheries bodies, other international instruments such as the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. and the FAO Constitution requires FAO Members to provide to the Secretariat certain statistical, technical and other information .
16. However, there are problems of data quality in many countries and regions, and many stocks are not assessed.
17. Needs for data and assessments are most problematic for developing countries, particularly the least developed among them, because of inadequate financial and technical resources.
18. Problems with data quality and assessments should be addressed by renewed commitment to fulfill existing instruments that articulate the needs. Developing countries require financial and technical assistance for capacity building so that they can fulfill their own needs, as well as contribute to regional and global information on the status and trends of fisheries.
Need for capacity-building in developing countries
19. There is a need to address developing country needs for financial and technical assistance, technology transfer, training and scientific cooperation, in order to build capacity to implement cost-effective and sustainable fishery data collection, data processing, analysis and reporting, and exchange information. Capacity building is necessary to fulfill national needs, the needs of regional fishery bodies and arrangements, existing obligations for reporting fisheries data to regional fishery bodies and FAO, and so that developing countries can more fully participate in, and benefit from, the assembly and analysis of such information.
Data collection systems in small-scale fisheries and multispecies fisheries
20. Many small-scale fisheries, and multispecies fisheries, particularly in developing countries, are not well monitored. Therefore, they are under-represented in current fisheries status and trends information, and consequently they are not adequately considered in development of plans and policies for fisheries.
21. There is a need to enhance capacities to collect data to ensure that the coverage of fisheries information is as complete as possible and covers all sectors, in particular the data necessary to evaluate small-scale and multispecies fisheries. There is also a need to develop cost-effective methods for acquiring and validating data on small-scale and multispecies fisheries.
22. In order to allow States to share and exchange comparable data through their regional fishery organizations and regional programmes, it is necessary to develop and adopt compatible standards and systems for data collection.
Expanding the scope of information on status and trends of fisheries
23. For some fisheries it may be necessary to consider ways to expand the scope of status and trends reporting to meet the requirements for research and the dissemination of information on the effects of climatic, environmental and socio-economic factors on fishery conservation and management and for the development of ecosystem based fisheries management. Indicators of sustainable development will also be required to be developed.
Global inventory of fish stocks and fisheries
24. Coordinated efforts are required for the compilation of a global inventory of fisheries and fish stocks or stock-complexes. Such inventories are required to describe FAO is obliged to monitor and report on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its effects on fisheries, including action taken under other instruments and resolutions by UN Organizations, in particular, the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. In order to undertake any comprehensive review of the implementation of the Code of Conduct and other national and international initiatives, it would be necessary to first have an inventory of world fisheries and fishery resources in order to state clearly what is being considered. Definitions, form, content and methods for implementation of the inventory would need to be developed and an overseeing mechanism such as a Panel of Experts would be required.
FIGIS participation, structuring and capacity-building
25. FAO intends to complete development of the Global Fisheries Information System (FIGIS), using modern information and communication technology, as a partnership between FAO, regional fisheries organizations, and national organizations, and other organizations that can make a positive contribution to the System.
26. For States to benefit from comprehensive information in FIGIS, it will essential for them to support, either directly or through participation in regional fisheries organizations, development of FIGIS, by:
27. All States contributing to FIGIS, either directly by them or through their participation in regional fisheries organizations, should accept responsibility for the content and quality of the information that is provided. This responsibility should be fulfilled by establishing review processes, such as working groups of regional fishery organizations.
28. FAO and other FIGIS partners will need to organize pilot projects and workshops, further develop and implement FIGIS, develop training materials, and conduct training.
Development of criteria and methods for ensuring information quality and security
29. Criteria and methods need to be developed to ensure information quality and security for the purpose of best scientific evidence, in accordance with internationally agreed standards and practices, through mechanisms for data verification, and in a manner consistent with applicable confidentiality requirements. States and other information providers must be involved in this. FAO should support this process and should facilitate the development of practical guidelines for quality assurance, transparency and security of fishery information.
Development of partnership arrangements
30. Partnership arrangements (agreements, memoranda of understanding, note verbale) involving States, regional fisheries organizations, other international organizations, and FAO, as appropriate, need to be made on the compilation and exchange of data as provided for in Article 7.4.6 of the Code and information about the status and trends of fisheries. These arrangements should address the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of the partners, including responsibilities for information quality, transparency and confidentiality.
The role of working parties to assess the status and trends of fisheries
31. Working parties convened to assess the status and trends of fisheries are an important mechanism for enhancing the quality and transparency of scientific information on status and trends, and can also build capacity by providing an important training and professional development experience for the scientists involved. States, directly or through participation in regional fisheries organizations and regional programmes, should seek and implement arrangements for working parties to assess fisheries and fishery resources, whenever appropriate, and make experts available to participate in them.
Sustaining data collection, information on the status and trend of fisheries
32. It will be neceessary to monitor data collection, status and trend analysis and reporting schemes and take corrective action where necessary to ensure data collection, data processing and analysis, reporting and exchange practices are sustained and meet national needs and the needs of regional fishery organizations and arrangements, and FAO.
33. The Twenty-fourth session of COFI considered a proposal for improving reporting on the status and trends of fisheries. It unanimously recognized that information on the status and trends of fisheries is fundamental to the mandate of FAO (Paragraph 75).
34. COFI also recognized shortcomings in reporting of information on status and trends of fisheries. In particular, it highlighted problems of data quality. While noting that collection of fisheries data is a national responsibility, it pointed out the particular problems of developing countries. The need for capacity building was stressed (Paragraphs 76 and 77).
35. Members of COFI made specific mention of the need to pay more attention to multi-species and small-scale fisheries, which are prevalent in tropical developing countries (Paragraph 77).
36. In response to a draft International Plan of Action (IPOA) on reporting on the status and trends of fisheries, which was initiated by ACFR and prepared by the Secretariat, many Members supported development of an IPOA, and some stated that the draft was a realistic approach (Paragraph 79).
37. However, some Members of COFI did not agree that an IPOA was the best approach for improving information on the status and trends of fisheries (Paragraph 79). Concern was raised that another IPOA might be burdensome.
38. COFI emphasized the need for all States to have an opportunity to help shape future initiatives to improve information on the status and trends of fisheries. Accordingly, COFI recommended a technical consultation to consider ways to improve the situation, including the possibility of an IPOA. It noted that particular attention should be given to the need for capacity building in developing countries (Paragraph 81).
39. Noting that many members of COFI supported development of an IPOA to improve information on the status and trends of fisheries, while recognizing the legitimate concerns expressed by some members, a revised Draft IPOA (Annex I) was prepared for consideration by the Technical Consultation.
Rationale for an International Plan of Action
40. In recent years, States have used several different types of instruments to address issues in international fora. These include: (a) binding Agreements, such as the UN Fish Stocks Agreement; (b) a Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries; (c) Declarations, such as the Cancun Declaration; (d) four International Plans of Action (IPOAs) and (e) Technical Guidelines on several subjects.. A binding agreement is not needed for improving information on the status and trends of fisheries. A Code should be reserved for topics very broad in scope, and indeed the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries contains many references to the need for reliable data and sound analysis. Declarations are usually brief statements of intent. Technical guidelines already exist for collecting and preparing much of the information needed on the status and trends of fisheries, but they do not engender the political will to fulfill the needs.
41. An International Plan of Action is an action-oriented instrument that conveys a high level of political will to address an important problem. IPOAs have been used to help fulfill various aspects of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Improving information on the status and trends of fisheries will help to fulfill the Code which recognizes the essential role of such information and its transparent use in securing sustainable fisheries (See Paragraphs 6.4, 6.11, 6.13, 7.1.9, 7.4.1-7.4.7, 8.1.3, 8.4.3, 8.5.4, 10.2.2, 11.3.7, 12.3, 12.4, 12.9 and 12.18 of the Code). Thus, an IPOA would seem the appropriate instrument for improving the assembly and dissemination of information on the status and trends of fisheries.
How the draft IPOA was revised
42. In response to concerns that an IPOA would be burdensome, the draft was revised to make clear that it is about assembling and disseminating information that is already called for by existing instruments. No new commitments for data collection or stock assessments are imposed. However, the draft IPOA could provide impetus to fulfill current commitments for data collection and assessments of stocks and fisheries. The revised draft also makes clear that the confidential nature of some fisheries information will not be jeopardized.
43. Also, in response to concerns that an IPOA might be burdensome, the draft has been revised by deleting the requirement for National plans of action. Instead, it calls for States to report on steps they take to improve information on the status and trends of fisheries as part of their biennial report on the Code.
44. In response to COFI's concern, the special need for capacity building in developing countries has been highlighted in the revised draft (See Paragraph 18), and actions in support of capacity building have been strengthened. One goal of an IPOA should be to encourage more support from developed countries and development partner agencies (donors) for capacity building in developing countries.
45. Although COFI did not explicitly express concern about the length or clarity of the draft IPOA, it was extensively revised to be clearer and more concise.
46. Although the revised draft was prepared within the Secretariat without input from member States, except for the views they expressed at COFI, this Technical Consultation is a response to COFI's desire for all States to have an opportunity to influence plans to improve information on the status and trends of fisheries.
47. The Technical Consultation is invited to review the list of required actions presented in section III and provide guidance as to what actions are required. The Technical Consultation is also invited to review the draft IPOA document and provide guidance as to whether an IPOA is the most appropriate and realistic instrument to use to improve information on the status and trends of fisheries. The Technical Consultation is further invited to provide guidance to improve the content of the document so that it can recommended to the Twenty-Fifth Session of COFI.
ANNEX
1. Knowledge of the status and trends of capture fisheries and fishery resources (including the human sector) is a key to sound policy and responsible fisheries management. It is necessary at the national level for the maintenance of food security and for describing social and economic benefits of fisheries. Fisheries policy-making and management is a dynamic interdisciplinary process that needs to take account of the status and trends of fisheries. Information on the status and trends of fisheries is also essential for assessing the validity of fisheries policy and for tracking the performance of fisheries management.
2. There is a high level of public interest in the status and trends of fisheries. Accurate and timely information should result in a better-informed public that supports efforts to manage fisheries in a responsible manner. Disseminating timely and readily understandable information on the status and trends of fisheries should help to ensure transparency in fisheries management, as called for by the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (Paragraphs 6.13 and 7.1.9).
3. Application of the precautionary approach, based on the best scientific evidence available, is a key element of efforts to achieve responsible fisheries. This requires making information on the status and trends of fisheries available in a manner that supports policy making and fisheries management.
4. Information on the status and trends of fisheries is either needed for, or consistent with, many international instruments concerning fisheries, including:
5. The importance of information on the status and trends of fisheries was highlighted in the First Session (December 1997) of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries Research (ACFR). It commended the Secretariat's reports on status and trends of fisheries, and it noted the important influence of these reports on public opinion and policy-making. However, ACFR also raised several concerns about the way status and trends information is assembled and disseminated, and it recommended that improvements be made. ACFR's report was considered by the Twenty-third session of COFI (1998), and it agreed that improvements were needed in FAO's monitoring of fish stocks (Paragraph 74). Subsequently, an ACFR working party was formed to consider the matter, and it recommended that IPOA to improve reporting on the status and trends of fisheries. Such a plan was drafted.
6. The Twenty-fourth session of COFI considered a proposal for improving reporting on the status and trends of fisheries. It unanimously recognized that information on the status and trends of fisheries is fundamental to the mandate of FAO (Paragraph 75). However, it also recognized shortcomings in reporting of such information that required attention. COFI recommended a technical consultation to consider ways to improve the situation, including the possibility of an IPOA (Paragraph 81).
7. An International Plan of Action is an action-oriented instrument that conveys a high level of political will to address an important problem. Thus, an IPOA is the appropriate instrument for improving the assembly and dissemination of information on the status and trends of fisheries.
8. The International Plan of Action for Assembling and Disseminating Information on the Status and Trends of Fisheries was approved by a consensus of COFI on _________. It may be referred to as the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS.
Nature of the Plan
9. The IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS is voluntary. It has been elaborated within the framework of the Code of Conduct, as envisaged by Article 2 (d). The provisions of Article 3 of the Code of Conduct apply to the interpretation and application of this document and its relationship with other instruments. All concerned Members and non-members of FAO and fishing entities are encouraged to support its implementation.
10. The IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS applies to the assembly and dissemination of information on the status and trends of fisheries. Data collection and research needs for monitoring the status and trends of fisheries are established by other international instruments, such as those noted in Paragraphs 5 and existing obligations of States to report fisheries statistics to FAO under Article XI of the FAO Constitution. This IPOA does not establish new obligations or expectations for the data collection and research, except that it provides impetus for fulfilling those that already exist. This impetus should include additional support from financial donor organizations for capacity building in developing countries.
11. The IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS should not be interpreted as conflicting with or superseding any national or international policies or agreements on the confidentiality of fisheries data. In the IPOA-Status and Trends, the reference to States includes the European Communitiy in matters within its competence.
Scope of the Plan
12. The IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS is global in scope and is designed to cover all capture fisheries in inland and marine waters, including all commercial, subsistence and recreational fisheries. It includes issues concerning species introductions (deliberate or unintentional) for wild stock enhancement, or stock recovery.
13. The IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS does not apply to aquaculture because it has distinctive requirements that need to be addressed specifically for this increasingly important sector.
14. The main focus of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS is on information concerning the fishery resources and the primary fisheries sector. Information on the post-harvest sector and trade is included in so far as it supports the primary sector information (e.g. use of trade data to validate catch data) or for food security considerations (e.g. food balance sheets).
15. The overall objective of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS is to provide a framework, strategy and plan for the improvement of knowledge and understanding of fishery status and trends as a basis for fisheries policy-making and management for the conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources within ecosystems
16. The IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS will be implemented through arrangements between organizations with information on the status and trends of fisheries, working cooperatively to assemble such information, and using modern information technology to manage and disseminate it. These arrangements should be established at various geographic scales, ranging from local, to national, to regional, and they should be linked to form a global system under the auspices of FAO. Wherever, and whenever, possible, existing organizations should be used as the basis of the arrangements.
17. Efforts to assemble and disseminate comprehensive information on the status and trends of fisheries are currently limited hindered because a complete inventory of the fisheries of the world does not exist. A key element of the strategy for the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS is to prepare an inventory.
18. Consistent with Article 5 of the Code of Conduct, the capacity of developing countries should be duly taken into account in implementing the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS. The capacity of developing countries, particularly the least-developed among them, needs to be greatly enhanced so that they can fulfill existing commitments to collect fisheries statistics and to conduct fisheries research, thus allowing them to more fully participate in the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS.
19. The arrangements for implementation of this IPOA should be based on the six guiding principles highlighted in the paragraphs that follow.
Sustainability
20. Arrangements for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries should be viable in the long term. As a consequence: (1) adequate funding should be provided at the national, regional and global levels; (2) the system should take account of the resources available to countries, regional fishery bodies and FAO; and (3) the programme should consider the particular needs of developing countries which may require large investments in training and capacity building.
Best Scientific Evidence
21. Arrangements for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries should be based on the best scientific evidence available. Protocols for assuring the quality of scientific information should be applied wherever and whenever practicable and appropriate. Such protocols should take account of the need to consider knowledge of participants in the fisheries, as well as traditional knowledge.
Participation and cooperation
22. Arrangements for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries should adopt mechanisms for inclusion of all relevant participants in the preparation, analysis and presentation of fishery information. Relevant participants may include, inter alia, fishers, industry representatives, non-governmental organizations. States should, in accordacne with international law, cooperate with other States in developing and maintaining such fishery information, as appropriate, either directly, or through appropriate intergovernmental organisations, including regional fisheries bodies. States should provide feedback on the status and trends of fisheries to all relevant participants.
Objectivity and Transparency
23. Arrangements for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries should be objective, based on the best scientific evidence available (Paragraph 21), and transparent, in support of Article 6.13 of the Code of Conduct. Uncertainty associated with status and trends information should be expressed.
Timeliness
24. Arrangements for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries should result in information being provided in a timely manner.
Flexibility
25. Arrangements for assembling and disseminating information on the status and trends of fisheries should be flexible enough to make adjustments as necessary to ensure that they effectively support fishery policy-making and management through the provision of appropriate information.
Need for capacity-building in developing countries
26. States, relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and financial institutions, should address developing country needs for financial and technical assistance, technology transfer, training and scientific cooperation, in order to build capacity to implement cost-effective and sustainable fishery data collection, data processing, analysis and reporting, and exchange information. Capacity building is necessary to fulfill national needs, the needs of regional fishery bodies and arrangements, existing obligations for reporting fisheries data to FAO, and so that developing countries can more fully participate in, and benefit from, the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS.
Data collection systems in small-scale fisheries and multispecies fisheries
27. States, Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organizations, and Financial Institutions should recognize that many small-scale fisheries, and multispecies fisheries, particularly in developing countries, are not well monitored. Therefore, they are underrepresented in current fisheries status and trends information, and consequent they are not adequately considered in development of plans and policies for fisheries.
28. States should, with support from development partner agencies (donors), where necessary, enhance their capacities to collect data to ensure that the coverage of fisheries information is as complete as possible and covers all sectors, in particular the data necessary to evaluate small-scale and multispecies fisheries.
29. States should participate in and support the development of cost-effective methods for acquiring and validating data on small-scale and multispecies fisheries, including rapid appraisal methodologies and other approaches for data poor situations. Intermittent surveys rather than regular monitoring may be more feasible, particularly for inland and small scale fisheries.
30. States should cooperate through their regional fishery organizations and regional programmes to develop and adopt compatible standards and systems for data collection.
31. FAO, with support from member States and development partner agencies, should address the special data collection and assessment needs for small-scale and multispecies fisheries, including the use of meetings of experts to develop innovative approaches and guidelines.
Expanding the scope of information on status and trends of fisheries, including consideration of the needs for ecosystem based fisheries management
32. States should approach the implementation of the Code of Conduct, in particular as this relates to Article 7 (Fisheries Management), especially Article 7.4.2 and Article 12 (Fisheries Research), by consideration of ways to expand the scope of status and trends reporting to meet the responsibilities recommended therein for research and the dissemination of information on the effects of climatic, environmental and socio-economic factors on fishery conservation and management.
33. States, directly or through participation in regional fisheries organizations, should consider broadening the collection of information on the status and trends of fisheries to support further development of ecosystem based fisheries management.
34. FAO, with support of Members, should further address the issue of indicators of sustainable development, as a follow-up to the Australia-FAO Technical Consultation on Sustainability Indicators in Marine Capture Fisheries (Sydney, Australia, January 1999). This could be accomplished through an expert consultation to apply the FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries, No. 8 (1999): Indicators for Sustainable Development of Marine Capture Fisheries as case studies of fisheries, in both developed and developing countries, thus leading to improvements in the Guidelines and more specific methodologies and standards for the indicators.
Global inventory of fish stocks and fisheries
35. States should participate in, and support coordinated efforts for the compilation of a global inventory of fisheries and fish stocks or stock-complexes.
36. As a first step towards development of the inventory, States should support the organisation by FAO of a technical consultation on the definitions, form, content, methods and implementation (including the definition and allocation of responsibilities and the estimation of costs) of a programme for the compilation of a global inventory of fisheries and fish stocks (or stock-complexes), noting the requirements for, and coordinating efforts with, the actions being undertaken through other IPOAs.
37. FAO, with support of its Member, should establish a Global Panel of Experts to oversee the global inventory of fish stocks and fisheries, the global reviews of fishery status and trends prepared for the biennial State of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) and the ongoing submissions to the Global Fisheries Information System (FIGIS, see paragraph 30).
FIGIS participation, structuring and capacity-building
38. FAO should continue and complete development of the Global Fisheries Information System (FIGIS), using modern information and communication technology, as a partnership between FAO, regional fisheries organizations, and national organizations, and other organizations that can make a positive contribution to the System.
39. States should support, both directly or through participation in regional fisheries organizations, development of FIGIS, by:
40. States should accept responsibility for the content and quality of the information that is contributed to FIGIS, either directly by them or through their participation in regional fisheries organizations. This responsibility should be fulfilled by establishing review processes, such as working groups of regional fishery organizations.
41. States should support FAO and other FIGIS partners, to organize pilot projects and workshops, to further develop and implement FIGIS, to develop training materials, and to conduct of training.
Development of criteria and methods for ensuring information quality and security
42. States should participate in the development of criteria and methods to ensure information quality and security for the purposes of best scientific evidence, in accordance with internationally agreed standards and practices, through mechanisms for data verification, and in a manner consistent with applicable confidentiality requirements. States should apply the agreed criteria and methods.
43. FAO, with support of, and participation by, Members should organize a technical consultation on the development of practical guidelines for quality assurance, transparency and security of fishery information.
Development of partnership arrangements
44. States, directly or through their participation in regional fisheries organizations, should seek and agree on partnership arrangements (agreements, memoranda of understanding, note verbale) with other States, regional fisheries organizations, other international organizations, and FAO, as appropriate, to compile and exchange data and information about the status and trends of fisheries. These arrangements should address the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of the partners, including responsibilities for information quality, transparency and confidentiality.
The role of working parties to assess the status and trends of fisheries
45. Working parties convened to assess the status and trends of fisheries are an important mechanism for enhancing the quality and transparency of scientific information on status and trends, and also can be an important training and professional development experience for the scientists involved.
46. States, directly or through participation in regional fisheries organizations and regional programmes, should seek and implement arrangements for working parties to assess fisheries and fishery resources, whenever appropriate.
47. States should work with FAO and development partner agencies to make fishery assessment experts from around the world available to participate in local and regional working parties, particularly where these working parties contribute to capacity building in developing countries.
Sustaining data collection, information on the status and trend of fisheries
48. States should monitor their data collection, status and trend analysis and reporting schemes and take corrective action where necessary to ensure data collection, data processing and analysis, reporting and exchange practices are sustained and meet national needs and the needs of regional fishery organizations and arrangements, and FAO.
General call for improving information on the status and trends of fisheries
49. States, regional fishery bodies and international institutions should develop and implement mechanisms for the improvement of fisheries information, the application of research to enhance the availability of best scientific evidence, and the adoption of a continuing process for the enrichment of fishery status and trends information to support conservation, management and sustainable use of fishery resources at local, regional and global levels.
The role of States
50. States should evaluate the actions they need to take to improve information on the status and trends of fisheries, address these needs on a priority basis, and report on the improvements they make, as part of their biennial report to FAO on the Code of Conduct.
The role of regional fishery organizations
51. Regional fishery bodies, within the limits defined by their conventions and to the extent mandated by their members, should participate in the implementation of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS, by providing support to their members, participating in global programmes and decisions on the development and adoption of standards and guidelines for information on the status and trends fisheries, becoming a partner in FIGIS .
The role of FAO
52. FAO will, as and to the extent directed by its Conference, and as part of its Regular Programme activities, support States and regional fishery bodies in the implementation of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS.
53. FAO will, as and to the extent directed by its Conference, support member States' implementation of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS, through in-country technical assistance projects using Regular Programme funds and by use of extra-budgetary funds made available to the Organization for this purpose.
54. FAO will, through COFI, report biennially on the state of progress in the implementation of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS.
Role of development partner agencies
55. International and national development partner agencies (donors), should include priority commitments to the provision of support to developing countries, in particular the least developed among them and small island developing states, in financial and technical assistance for capacity building and information system development, as necessary for implementation of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS.
Role of non-governmental organizations
56. Non-governmental organisations (national, regional and international) concerned with fisheries, fisherfolk and the aquatic environment and research into these, should encourage implementation of the IPOA-STATUS&TRENDS through appropriate support, information methods development and capacity building and participation.
