Pacific Islands Oceanic Fisheries Management Project

In its first IW project with the PACSIDS, GEF provided support for the process of discussions and negotiation between Pacific SIDSs, other coastal states of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (including Indonesia and the Philippines) and fishing states, on a new regional arrangement for the conservation, management and sustainable development of transboundary stocks of highly migratory species and related species, including support for effective participation by Pacific SIDSs as well as training to strengthen PACSIDS understanding and capacity to participate in the process of adopting new arrangements for transboundary fish stocks. The final text of the Convention was agreed in August 2001. The Convention is very closely based on the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and includes new principles of responsible fisheries management recently adopted by the global community, including the use of reference points and the precautionary approach, adoption of an ecosystem approach, avoidance of incidental bycatch, and protection of biodiversity through science-based manaegment. In terms of the volume and value of catch from the resources to which it applies, the new Commission will be the largest international fisheries management organisation so far created globally; fifteen of the sixteen FFA members eligible to sign have now signed the Convention and is expected to come into force by 2005. This project will support Pacific SIDSs’ efforts as they participate in the final stages of establishing the new Commission, determining how it will work with the nations, and the initial period of operation of the Commission. It will also support Pacific SIDs’ efforts to reform, realign, restructure and strengthen their national fisheries laws, policies, institutions and programmes to take up the new opportunities which the WCPF Convention creates and discharge the new responsibilities which the Convention requires as noted under the SAP adopted with GEF assistance.