| Body | Establishment | Headquarters | Membership | Area of competence | Main functions |
| GFCM General Fisheries Council for the Mediterranean |
1949 International Agreement under aegis of FAO (Article XIV of FAO Constitution) |
Rome (Italy) | Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Romania, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, and former Yugoslavia | Mediterranean, Black Sea and connecting waters | To promote the development, conservation and management of living marine resources; to formulate and recommend conservation measures; to encourage training cooperative projects. |
| APFIC Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission |
1948 International Agreement under aegis of FAO (Article XIV of FAO Constitution) |
Bangkok (Thailand) |
Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (People's Republic of), France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea (Rep.of), Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UK, USA, Viet Nam. | Indo-Pacific area (including inland waters) | To keep fishery resources under review; to formulate and recommend conservation and management measures; to keep under review the economic and social aspects of fishing; to encourage training and research. |
| IOTC Indian Ocean Tuna Commission |
1993 International Agreement under aegis of FAO (Article XIV of FAO Constitution) |
To be determined | Eritrea, EC, India, Japan, Korea (Rep.of), Madagascar, Mauritius, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, UK | Indian Ocean and adjacent seas north of the Antarctic Convergence | To promote cooperation in the conservation of tuna and tuna like species and also promote their optimum utilization, and the sustainable development of the fisheries. |
| IOFC Indian Ocean Fishery Commission |
1967 Resolution of FAO Council (under Article VI-1 of FAO Constitution) |
Rome (Italy) | Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Cuba,
Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Rep.of), Iraq,
Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea (Rep.of) Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of), Seychelles, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, UK, USA, Viet Nam. |
Indian Ocean and adjacent seas (excluding the Antarctic area) | To promote programmes for fishery development and conservation; to promote research and development activities; to examine management problems with particular reference to offshore resources. |
| Body | Establishment | Headquarters | Membership | Area of competence | Main functions |
| WECAFC Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission |
1973 Resolution of FAO Council (under Article VI-1 of FAO Constitution) |
Bridgetown (Barbados) | Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, France, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan, Korea (Rep.of), Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, USA, Venezuela. | Western Central Atlantic Ocean | To facilitate the coordination of research; to encourage education and training; to assist Member Governments in establishing rational policies, to promote the rational management of resources that are of interest for two or more countries. |
| CARPAS Regional Fisheries Advisory Commission for the Southwest Atlantic |
1961 Resolution of FAO Conference (under Article VI-1 of FAO Constitution) |
Rome (Italy) | Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay | Southwest Atlantic and inland waters of member countries | To develop organized approach among members for the management and regional exploitation of marine and inland fishery resources; to encourage training and cooperative investigations. |
| EIFAC European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission |
1957 Resolution of FAO Council (under Article VI-1 of FAO Constitution) |
Rome (Italy) | Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, EC, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK. | Inland waters of Europe | To assist in the collection of information, to promote cooperation among governmental organizations; to advise on the development of inland fisheries. |
| COPESCAL Commission for Inland Fisheries of Latin America |
1976 Resolution of FAO Council (under Article VI-1 of FAO Constitution) |
Santiago (Chile) | Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela. | Inland waters of Latin America | To promote research for the rational utilization of inland fishery resources; to assist in establishing scientific basis for regulatory measures; to assist in the development of aquaculture; to encourage education and training. |
| Body | Establishment | Headquarters | Membership | Area of competence | Main functions |
| CECAF Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic |
1967 Resolution of FAO Council (under Article VI-2 of FAO Constitution) |
Accra, Ghana. | Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, EC, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Japan, Korea (Rep.of), Liberia, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, USA, Zaire. | Eastern Central Atlantic between Cape Spartel and the Congo River | To promote programmes of development for the rational utilization of fishery resources; to assist in establishing basis for regulatory measures; to encourage training. |
| CIFA Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa |
1971 Resolution of FAO Council (under Article VI-2 of FAO Constitution) |
Accra (Ghana) | Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Inland waters of Africa. | To promote programmes of research for the rational utilization of inland fishery resources; to assist in establishing scientific basis for regulatory measures; to assist in the development of fish culture; to encourage education and training. |
Ø Red Sea: All large scombrids; probably most small clupeoids and carangids but this will depend on the location of the stocks as those most affected will be those near maritime boundaries. But nothing is known (or at least documented) about stocks structure of small pelagics in the Red Sea. Areas of special concern are most likely to be handled on a bilateral or multilateral basis, eg, head of gulf of Eilat/Aqaba; head of Gulf migration could e handled by a series of bilateral treaties.
Ø North West Arabian Sea: Myctophids: Iran (Islamic Rep. of) and Oman and possibly UAE; also maybe Pakistan, Yemen and India but not essential. Tunas, Tunalike species already covered by IOTC. Scomberoids covered by Tuna Commission ? If not then Iran (Islamic Rep. of), Oman, UAE and Pakistan. Possibly Yemen and India.
Ø Gulf of Aden: Small pelagics: Yemen, Somalia, possibly Djibouti.
Ø Persian Gulf: Some shrimp, most large demersals (eg, serranids, breams, etc.) some small pelagics, large pelagics.
For CECAF, the following shared stocks (for which evaluation exists) and countries concerned are listed.
Ø Sardinella aurita: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia
Ø Trachurus trachurus: Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia
Ø Scomber japonicus: Morocco, Mauritania
Ø Cephalopods/cuttlefish: Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone
Ø Small pelagics: Western and Central Gulf of Guinea
Ø Scomber japonicus: Western and Central Gulf of Guinea
Ø Demersal resources: Western and Central Gulf of Guinea
Ø Sardinella aurita Congo and Gabon and S. maderensis:
Ø Trachurus trecae: Congo and Gabon
1) Bilateral
Shrimp for Venezuela and Trinidad. There are also moves towards spiny lobster between Cuba and Bahamas. The penaid shrimp of the Gulf of Mexico (US/Mexico).
There are probably several groundfish stocks, such as the snappers and groupers, which are shared between two or a small number of states in the region. There is not much information, at this stage, on stock identity of such species in the region.
2) Subregional
The shrimp resources of the Guyanas-Brazil continental shelf are the topic of a WECAFC ad hoc Working Group and are an obvious example of a sub-regionally shared stock, along with many of the groundfish species that occur in the same area. The flying fish resource of the Lesser Antilles is supporting a growing fishery in the southeastern Caribbean. Other less abundant small pelagics may also justify consideration.
Again, several of the groundfish species may justify sub-regional management.
Caribbean spiny lobster is an important and widely distributed species in the region. Major producers include Cuba, USA, Nicaragua and Honduras. Again, the stock structure is not well understood. Adult distribution would certainly suggest shared stocks, but widespread distribution and movement of larvae could result in sub-regional or even regional distribution of a single stock.
3) Regional and extra-regional
The group referred to within WECAFC as "coastal pelagics" require regional approaches to management. These include Atlantic Spanish mackerel and king mackerel, blackfin tuna and dolphinfish.
1) Bilateral arrangements
Sardine stocks of the Sea of Alboran between Morocco and Spain are already covered by EC agreements. Internally to the EC, similar arrangements apply to internal seas, such as the Gulf of Lions for groundfish.
2) Subregional arrangements
Special management regime for groundfish. Notable here are the Gulf of Gabes and Straits of Sicily (Tunisia, Libya, Malta and Italy), the Adriatic and Northern Ionian Seas (Italy, Albania, Craotia, Greece, Slovenia and possibly Montenegro ?), and the Black Sea.
3) Regional and extra-regional
Bluefin tuna is the most noteworthy resource that spawns in the Mediterranean and extends into the Atlantic. ICCAT has data and maps on this species. Swordfish can probably be regarded as a regional resource, as can Bonito and minor pelagics such as Dolphin fish.
Eastern Indian Ocean (Area 57)
(1) tuna and tuna-like fishes. This area falls within the coverage of the proposed IOTC, therefore, those resources (including small tunas) may well be covered by IOTC.
(2) round scads (Decapterus spp.): some shared stocks have been identified include:
Ø Sri Lanka - Southern part of India
Ø Malaka Strait (Thailand-Malaysia-Indonesia)
(3) chub mackerel (Rastrelliger spp.):
Ø Malaka Strait (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia)
Ø Andaman Sea (Myanmare, Thailand)
Ø Bay of Bengal (Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Myanmare)
(4) Hilsa toli
Ø India-Bangladesh, Myanmar
Western Central Pacific
(Area 71):(1) tuna and tuna-like fishes: Philippines and Indonesia. SEAFDEC may facilitate for such an initiative with a close cooperation with SPC/FFA.
(2) chub mackerel (Rastrelliger spp.):
Ø Southern Gulf of Thailand (Thialand, Cambodia, Vietnam)
Ø Eastern Gulf of Thailand (Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam)
Ø Gulf of Tonkin (Vietnam and southern China)
Ø Southern part of South China Sea (Indonesia, East Malaysia)
Ø Sulu Sea (Indonesia, Philippines)
(3) round scads (Decapterus spp.)
Ø Gulf of Thailand (Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam)
Ø Gulf of Tonkin (Vietnam and China)
Ø Southern part of SCS (Indonesia, Malaysia)
Ø Sulu Sea (Indonesia, Philippines)
(4) no study has yet been made on the potential shared resources between Indonesia and Australia in the Arafura Sea. However, potential shared resources include: sharks, roundscads, jacks, etc. Good cooperation between the two countries in fisheries in recent years may lead to such joint management in the future.
