56. Those governments that do not have an obligatory data recording requirement for their flag vessels when fishing outside of their national EEZs would be provided with a recommended data-collection protocol. It was agreed that all countries fishing in the study area, and those who have fished in the study area, should be asked to provide at least information on their catches, number of tows and general area of fishing operations - this data to be treated in accordance with the protocol on data confidentiality. It was further agreed that the governments of all relevant countries should be encouraged to ensure that vessels carrying their flag collect all relevant information, and in a form compatible with the efforts of other countries fishing in the region.
57. It was agreed that it was premature to consider resource management recommendations. However, it was agreed that co-operation in data collection activities would be seen as an indication of commitment to 'responsible' fisheries management in the study area on the part of those parties providing data and assistance in resource analysis.
58. The Ad Hoc meeting noted with concern the particular vulnerability of some of the target fishery species in the study area because of their slow growth and long lives. Further, even for other faster-growing species, fisheries depletion and collapses for such species had occurred in other fishing areas. Thus, the meeting noted that the information and management protocols for effective fisheries management in the area were lacking and were urgently required. It noted that little of the " base-line" information had been established in databases, which would be necessary for efficient and successful fishery analysis.
59. The meeting noted with concern the rapid expansion of fishing effort that had occurred in the study area and thus the need to implement required fisheries management measures to ensure sustainability of the resources and fish harvests and the practice of responsible fishing. The meeting further noted the paucity of information concerning the ecosystems in which the fisheries were being prosecuted and thus the unknown effects to the ecosystem and fish habitats arising from current fishing activities.
60. The Japanese participants emphasized the commitment of the Japanese Government to responsible fishing in the area and its desire to undertake scientific surveys in the study area and its openness to co-operation with other countries with a similar capacity in relation to such activities in the study area.
61. It was agreed that if a future technical meetings were to be effective in providing the basis for informed management decisions concerning fishery resources in the study area, Terms of Reference should be provided by the plenary consultation to provide objectives and goals for the activities of such future technical meetings.
