IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SYSTEM OF INSPECTION AND OTHER CCAMLR COMPLIANCE-RELATED MEASURES IN 2009/10
INTRODUCTION
This paper summarises information on the implementation of the System of Inspection and compliance-related conservation measures during the 2009/10 intersessional period. Information on the implementation of conservation measures related to fisheries management and the submission of data has been provided in CCAMLR-XXIX/BG/9, although details of some compliance-related aspects of fisheries-related conservation measures are summarised in paragraphs 7 to 13 of this paper. Information on the implementation and operation of the CDS has been provided in CCAMLR-XXIX/BG/8. Preliminary assessments of VMEs have been collated by the Secretariat in CCAMLR-XXIX/21. Information from observer reports on vessels' conformity with environmental and mitigation measures is provided in WG-FSA 10/8.
SYSTEM OF INSPECTION
2. The System of Inspection requires Members to report the names of designated inspectors to the Secretariat within 14 days of designation. A summary of designated inspectors reported by Members in the 2009/10 season is provided in Table 1
Abstract:
Report on transhipment of krill in 2009
Delegation of Japan
Abstract:
According to the Conservation Measure 10-09 (2009), Japan reports on krill transhipment activities by its krill fishing vessel in the CCAMLR Convention Area in 2009, as a background paper for CCAMLR annual meeting to be held in October 2010.
Explanation:
According to the Conservation Measure 10-09 “Notification system for transshipments within the Convention Area”, especially in accordance with the paragraph 6 of the Measure, Japan submits the attached report on transshipment activities by its krill fishing vessel in CCAMLR Convention Area in 2009, as a background paper for CCAMLR annual meeting to be held in October 2010.
Abstract:
Working Document
CCAMLR-XXIX Meeting
Hobart, October 2010
Delegation of Chile
Title of the document: Management of VMS information by the Secretariat concerning
catches of Patagonian toothfish beyond the Convention Area
Authors: Fisheries Under-Secretariat and National Fisheries Service
Summary: Currently, some State Parties require, as a requirement to introduce
toothfish into their markets, that VMS reports by vessels that capture toothfish be
transmitted previously and in real time to the Secretariat, even when the captures take
place outside the Convention Area. This document proposes that when Contracting
States voluntarily report the activities performed in waters beyond the jurisdiction of the
Convention, the Secretariat should ensure that such information is being loaded into the
CCAMLR data bases in a timely manner and made readily available for consultation by
those State Parties. This is proposed to be carried out through a modification of
Conservation Measure 10-04 (2007) in accordance with the terms contained in the
attached document.
Abstract:
EU PROPOSAL
FOR AMENDMENT TO THE CCAMLR CONSERVATION MEASURES
10-06 AND 10-07 TO ALLOW FOR INTERSESSIONAL DE-LISTING OF
IUU VESSELS
Explanatory Memorandum
Over the course of last years, CCAMLR adopted Conservation Measures 10-06 and 10-07
which provide for the identification of individual vessels, flagged both to Contracting and
Non-Contracting Parties, engaged in IUU activities in the Convention area. These
Conservation Measures lay down the process and procedures under which vessels would be
put on the IUU list and also the process to remove them from the list.
While the procedures outlined in CMs 10-06 and 10-07 are generally operating well by
providing useful information on IUU fishing vessels as well as setting out actions that might
be taken against such vessels, it seems that due to the dynamic nature of IUU fishing
activities, the lists can rapidly become obsolete. As a result, it was one of the
recommendations of the Performance Review Panel that "CCAMLR should review the
process […], timing and frequency with which vessels are added or removed from the IUU
vessel list", so that the lists are updated more frequently.
It is the view of the European Union that proposed amendments to Conservation Measures
10-06 and 10-07 provide for a more flexible and speedy process of bringing the CCAMLR
IUU lists up to date and therefore increase their value of in tracking and combating IUU
activities in the CCAMLR Area.
Abstract:
EU PROPOSAL
FOR AMENDMENT TO THE CCAMLR CONSERVATION MEASURES
10-06 AND 10-07 TO ALLOW FOR INTERSESSIONAL DE-LISTING OF
IUU VESSELS
Explanatory Memorandum
Over the course of last years, CCAMLR adopted Conservation Measures 10-06 and 10-07
which provide for the identification of individual vessels, flagged both to Contracting and
Non-Contracting Parties, engaged in IUU activities in the Convention area. These
Conservation Measures lay down the process and procedures under which vessels would be
put on the IUU list and also the process to remove them from the list.
While the procedures outlined in CMs 10-06 and 10-07 are generally operating well by
providing useful information on IUU fishing vessels as well as setting out actions that might
be taken against such vessels, it seems that due to the dynamic nature of IUU fishing
activities, the lists can rapidly become obsolete. As a result, it was one of the
recommendations of the Performance Review Panel that "CCAMLR should review the
process […], timing and frequency with which vessels are added or removed from the IUU
vessel list", so that the lists are updated more frequently.
It is the view of the European Union that proposed amendments to Conservation Measures
10-06 and 10-07 provide for a more flexible and speedy process of bringing the CCAMLR
IUU lists up to date and therefore increase their value of in tracking and combating IUU
activities in the CCAMLR Area.
Abstract:
EU PROPOSAL
FOR AMENDMENT TO THE CCAMLR CONSERVATION MEASURE
10-04 TO INCLUDE KRILL VESSELS IN VMS REPORTING
Explanatory Memorandum
The importance of krill within the Antarctic ecosystem is widely recognised. CCAMLR
Members acknowledge the need of ensuring a sustainable fishing activity on krill and the
durability of this resource, especially given that the possible increase of the krill fishery,
including significantly increased catches, is a potential threat to the Antarctic ecosystem.
Vessel Monitoring System, a system used to detect and monitor the movements of vessels, is
nowadays a standard tool of fisheries monitoring and control worldwide enabling better
control and surveillance and effective spatial monitoring of the fishery. While all vessels of
CCAMLR Contracting Parties are due to be equipped with a VMS device, the Contracting
Parties are exempt from forwarding VMS reports and messages received from their krill
vessels to the CCAMLR Secretariat (CM 10-04 para 10 and onwards). The Contracting
Parties are obliged to comply with this requirement for all other CCAMLR fisheries, with
exceptions for vessels licensed under French and South African domestic law in the EEZs
surrounding Kerguelen, Crozet and Prince Edward Islands.
Amongst many recommendations of the CCAMLR Performance Review Report concerning
krill fishery, the Performance Review Panel noted that "the reporting and monitoring
requirements of the krill fishery are much weaker than those for the finfish fisheries, and
especially for the new or exploratory finfish fisheries" and therefore agreed with the Scientific
Committee suggestions that "monitoring and reporting of the krill fishery should be made
consistent with the requirements of other CCAMLR fisheries".
There is no abstract available for this document.
Abstract:
PROPOSAL
The delegation of New Zealand proposes that the Commission adopts a new
resolution on IUU fishing in the CCAMLR Convention Area.
PURPOSE
The proposed resolution seeks a reaffirmation by CCAMLR Members of their
commitment to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing in the CCAMLR
Convention Area in accordance with CCAMLR’s Conservation Measures.
It updates developments with regard to action taken by CCAMLR, notably
through relevant CCAMLR Conservation Measures addressing the problem of
IUU fishing in the CCAMLR Convention Area (Conservation Measures 10-03,
10-06, 10-07, 10-08 and 10-09) and pursuant to CCAMLR’s System of
Inspection.
The proposed resolution also updates CCAMLR Resolution 25/XXV on
Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Convention Area
by the flag vessels of non-Contracting Parties.
The text of the proposed resolution is attached.
Abstract:
Proposal to Strengthen CCAMLR’s Port Inspection Scheme
Delegations of the United States and the European Union
In 2002, the Commission adopted conservation measure 10-03, Port Inspections of Vessels
Carrying Toothfish. In 2008 and 2009, the Commission adopted amendments to conservation
measure 10-03 to clarify requirements for port inspections for vessels carrying Dissostichus
spp., and to improve compliance with that measure.
Since the Commission’s 2009 annual meeting, the FAO Conference adopted the Agreement on
Port Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU)
Fishing (FAO Agreement). The FAO Agreement sets minimum standards for port state
measures including the conduct of fishing vessel inspections and the training of inspectors.
IUU fishing continues to be a problem in the Convention Area. The goal of this proposal is to
address the continuing problem of IUU fishing by strengthening CCAMLR’s existing scheme
on port inspections through the expansion of its scope and the implementation of minimum
standards consistent with the FAO Agreement. Moving towards a harmonized set of minimum
standards should ultimately facilitate Members’ compliance with Conservation Measure 10-03.
In our view, this proposal complements well and enhances the improvements made in 2008
and 2009 to CM 10-03. We look forward to further discussing this proposal with Members of
the Commission. The proposal is as follows:
The Commission,
CONCERNED by the fact that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities in
the CAMLR Convention Area undermine the effectiveness of CCAMLR conservation
measures;
RECALLING the 2009 FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to Combat IUU Fishing
endorsed by the FAO Committee on Fisheries;
RECOGNIZING that port State measures provide a powerful and cost-effective means of
preventing, deterring and eliminating IUU fishing;
RECOGNIZING that measures to combat IUU fishing should build on the primary
responsibility of flag States and use all available jurisdiction in accordance with
international law, including port State measures, coastal State measures, market related
measures and measures to ensure that nationals do not support or engage in IUU fishing;
Abstract:
Improvement of krill fishing notification accuracy through notification fees
Delegation of the United States
The Commission adopted notification procedures for krill fishing in 2005. These procedures
were intended to improve the Scientific Committee’s ability to provide advice to the
Commission on krill fishing for the coming season. However, grossly inaccurate estimations
of krill catch provided in Members’ notifications have hampered the Scientific Committee’s
ability to properly estimate the seasonal krill catch and to provide robust scientific advice.
Instead, the Scientific Committee’s scarce and valuable time is spent on analyses that are of
limited use due to their inherent inaccuracies. The Scientific Committee has expressed
concern, and the Commission has discussed several times, the lack of accuracy of the
notifications.
The Commission has also noted that the Secretariat incurs an administrative cost when it
processes krill fishing notifications, including notifications from vessels that end up not
fishing. These administrative steps and costs are no different from the more familiar
expenses incurred in processing notifications for Dissostichus spp. fisheries. The
Dissostichus spp. notification processing fees are necessary to maintain a level budget for the
Commission without rising operational and administrative costs, an issue of much concern to
all Commission Members. Not surprisingly, the CCAMLR Performance Review Panel also
considered the need for cost-recovery for CCAMLR’s administrative costs beyond the
Dissostichus spp. fishery: “7.1.1.2 2. ... develop a cost-recovery policy which would be
applied to all commercial fishing operations...”
At CCAMLR’s 2009 Annual Meeting, the SCIC considered a proposal to address cost
recovery for processing krill fishing notifications. The Members considered a variety of
options including elements that would restrict fishing for those vessels that notified but did
not ultimately fish, changes to the Member contribution formula, and a fee system associated
with notifications. In the course of discussions, it was noted that the Secretariat recoups its
costs for processing Dissostichus spp. fishery notifications and that the cost would be
approximately the same to process each krill fishing notification. While the SCIC was unable
to reach agreement on how best to recover the Secretariat’s costs for processing krill fishing
notifications, the discussions generally revealed that whatever method is applied, the
CCAMLR Secretariat’s funds were becoming increasingly scarce and that they would benefit
from some sort of compensatory regime. The discussion did not lead to an agreement on how
to address the cost recovery idea, and the issue was left open for discussion in 2010.
