WCPFC - Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
Descrição
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is a Regional Fisheries Organization established under the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.
The aim of the Convention that established the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is to ensure, through effective management, the long-term conservation and sustainable exploitation of highly migratory fish stocks in the western and central Pacific Ocean, in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement. For this purpose, a Commission on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean has been established under the Convention.
The WCPFC has the authority to adopt legally binding decisions ("Conservation and Management Measures", "CMM" for the conservation of the fishery resources under its purview. These actions are primarily addressed to WCPFC Contracting Parties, but also contain obligations for operators (e.g. vessel captains).
By Council Decision 2005/75/EC5, the former European Community approved the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, establishing the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), which entered into force on 19 June 2004, to which the European Union (EU) has been a Contracting Party since 20 January 2005.
RFMO location and website
WCPFC- Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
Kaselehlie Street PO Box 2356, Kolonia,
Pohnpei State, 96941, Estados Federados da Micronésia
Website: https://www.wcpfc.int/
Geographical Area
PT Fishing gear
Surface longline.
Target species
The main stocks targeted by the EU fleet are bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius).
Note: The total annual catches of bigeye tuna allowed for each Member State's longliners in the WCPFC Convention Area are those established on an annual basis in Council Regulation (EU) fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the fishing opportunities applicable in Union waters and those applicable to Union fishing vessels in certain non-Union waters.
Species with special catch, registration and control schemes
- Union fishing vessels shall not be authorised to target south Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga) in the WCPFC Convention Area south of 20° S;
- Catches of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) by longliners shall not exceed the limits set out in the annual TACs and QUOTAS Regulation, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, of the fishing opportunities applicable in Union waters and those applicable, for Union vessels, in certain non-Union waters (here).
Bycatch
- Reducing by-catches as far as possible;
- Reduction of incidental catch of sea turtles:
- Reducing the incidental catch of seabirds:
Note: All species caught, including incidental catches, must be duly recorded in the fishing logbook. Any interactions with turtles and seabirds must also be recorded on the appropriate form, indicating the location of the interaction, the species involved and the animal's status after it has been removed from the gear. Vessels operating in the region must also implement mitigation measures aimed at reducing, and if possible eliminating, interactions with turtles and sea birds.
Prohibited species
- Sharks:
It shall be prohibited to retain on board, tranship, land or store any part or whole carcass of the following species in the WCPFC Convention Area:
- Silky sharks (Carcharhinus falciformis);
- Oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus).
When accidentally caught, specimens of the above species shall not be harmed and shall be promptly released.
- Mobulid rays:
Union fishing vessels in the WCPFC Convention Area shall not fish for mobulid rays (Mobulidae family, including the genera Manta and Mobula) and shall not retain on board, tranship, land, store, offer for sale or sell any part or whole carcass of mobulid rays caught in that area. As soon as they notice that mobulid rays have been caught, they shall promptly release them, where possible alive and unharmed.
conditions
- Have a valid fishing license in accordance with art.º6 of the Control Regulation (Regulation (EC) No. 1224/2009);
- Having number IMO if required under Union law;
- The fishing vessel is not on a list of IUU vessels adopted by a RFMO and / or the Union under the IUU Regulation;
- Have a vessel monitoring system (VMS) installed and operational;
- Have an electronic recording and reporting system installed and operational (ERS);
- To be included on the WCFC authorized vessel list;
- Have valid certificates of navigation and compliance;
- To be eligible to operate in the WCPFC, it is mandatory to place an ALC (Automatic Location Communicators) on the vessel, approved by the VMS programme, which allows the WCPFC secretariat to automatically access the vessel's position.
Legislação
- Regulation (CE) 1224/2009
- Regulation (UE) 2017/2403
- TAC and QUOTA Regulation - Council Regulation (EU) fixing every year the fishing opportunities for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Union waters and, for Union fishing vessels, in certain non-Union waters
- WCPFC Resolutions and Recommendations
Observer Coverage
- A 5% observer coverage rate should be guaranteed. In the case of the WCPFC, observers must meet the criteria defined by the Regional Observer Programme