DISCIPLINING FISHERIES DISCIPLINING FISHERIES SUBSIDIES: INCORPORATING SUBSIDIES: INCORPORATING SUSTAINABILITY AT THE WTO SUSTAINABILITY AT THE WTO

AND BEYONDAND BEYOND

1-2 March 20071-2 March 2007Palais des Nations, Conference Room XXIIPalais des Nations, Conference Room XXII

Geneva, SwitzerlandGeneva, Switzerland

Small Economies, Big Fisheries: Small Economies, Big Fisheries: Challenges and priorities for Challenges and priorities for

Management in Small Vulnerable Management in Small Vulnerable Economies (SVE)Economies (SVE)

By By Justin IlakiniJustin Ilakini

National Fisheries AuthorityNational Fisheries AuthorityPapua New GuineaPapua New Guinea

Who are the SVEs?Who are the SVEs?

Papua New Guinea

SamoaAmerican

Samoa

Wallis et Futuna

Cook Islands

Kingdom of Tonga

Norfolk Island

New Zealand

Fiji

Northern Marianas

GuamPhilippines Marshall Islands

Federated States of Micronesia

French Polynesia

Solomon Islands

JohnstonIsland

Vanuatu

Matthew and Hunter

Republic of Nauru

Gilbert Group Kiribati

USA

Phoenix Group Kiribati

Australia

IndonesiaLine Islands

Kiribati

USA

USARepublic of Palau

USA

Vietnam

Malaysia

160°W 140°W

40°S

20°S

0°N

120°E 140°E 160°E 180°E

New Caledonia

TokelauTuvalu

Niue

Pitcairn

Australia

Australia

Taiwan

SVE CharacteristicsSVE Characteristics

o Comprise small states and small island Comprise small states and small island developing states developing states

o Suffer particularly from a combination of Suffer particularly from a combination of inherited and inherent characteristics that inherited and inherent characteristics that impede their ability to integrate into the impede their ability to integrate into the global economyglobal economy

o Heavily dependent on high rates of trade Heavily dependent on high rates of trade preferences and tariff quotaspreferences and tariff quotas

Heavy presence of DWFNsHeavy presence of DWFNs

Growing domestically based foreign fleetsGrowing domestically based foreign fleets

Customary ownership of resources – ‘rights Customary ownership of resources – ‘rights over resource’ issue – coastal fisheryover resource’ issue – coastal fishery

Exercise of sovereign rights within EEZsExercise of sovereign rights within EEZs

Huge EESz to monitorHuge EESz to monitor

Ability to effectively implement management Ability to effectively implement management plansplans

Sustainability, a growing Sustainability, a growing challengechallenge

Typical Small Economy, Big FisheriesTypical Small Economy, Big Fisheries

Located in the Western & Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO)Located in the Western & Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO)Fisheries zone 2,437,480 million sq kmFisheries zone 2,437,480 million sq km17,000 km of coastline17,000 km of coastline4,250 km of extended reef system, deltaic flood plains, lagoons4,250 km of extended reef system, deltaic flood plains, lagoons4,180 km Islands and atolls 4,180 km Islands and atolls

Fisheries legislation or ActFisheries legislation or ActFisheries Management plansFisheries Management plansManagement measuresManagement measures

o Setting of TACSetting of TACo Control of fishing efforts (No. boats)Control of fishing efforts (No. boats)o Season closuresSeason closureso Species sizesSpecies sizeso Gear typesGear typeso Fishing areas/zones …etcFishing areas/zones …etc

Licensing conditionsLicensing conditionsMCS activities to enforce licensing conditionsMCS activities to enforce licensing conditions

““Mainly top-down approach towards fisheries Mainly top-down approach towards fisheries management”management”

Typical Fisheries Management Typical Fisheries Management frameworkframework

How effective is these How effective is these fisheries management fisheries management

framework in SVE?framework in SVE?

Maybe two answers:Maybe two answers:Legal empowerment, yesLegal empowerment, yes

Infrastructure or enforcement Infrastructure or enforcement …???…???

Two areas of importance for Two areas of importance for SVEsSVEs

Commercial (offshore) fisheriesCommercial (offshore) fisheries

Inshore (coastal) fisheries Inshore (coastal) fisheries

(1) Commercial (Offshore) (1) Commercial (Offshore) FisheriesFisheries

BackgroundBackgroundo Medium size-large scale commercial fishing activitiesMedium size-large scale commercial fishing activitieso Outside customary boundaries and domesticated fisheriesOutside customary boundaries and domesticated fisherieso High tech fishing equipment and fishing techniquesHigh tech fishing equipment and fishing techniques

ChallengesChallengeso Vast EEZs (extensive geographical coverage and limited Vast EEZs (extensive geographical coverage and limited

surveillance capabilitiessurveillance capabilitieso Limited financial resourcesLimited financial resourceso Immense task in Monitoring, Control & surveillance Immense task in Monitoring, Control & surveillance o Lack of effective coordination between relevant government Lack of effective coordination between relevant government

agenciesagencieso Need for regional cooperation/collaborationNeed for regional cooperation/collaborationo Effective implementation of Commission measures (WCPFC)Effective implementation of Commission measures (WCPFC)

Pacific Island SVE experiencePacific Island SVE experience

Recognize and embraced regional cooperationRecognize and embraced regional cooperation

o Formation of FFA 1979Formation of FFA 1979 (subsequently followed the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention)(subsequently followed the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention)

- Promote regional cooperation & coordination (fisheries policies + development)Promote regional cooperation & coordination (fisheries policies + development)

o Palau ArrangementPalau Arrangement (Management of purse seine fishery)(Management of purse seine fishery)

o Collectively develop Harmonized Minimum terms and conditions (MTCs)Collectively develop Harmonized Minimum terms and conditions (MTCs)- Common regional license formCommon regional license form- Control & monitoring of transshipmentsControl & monitoring of transshipments- Submission of catch logs sheets in zones + high seasSubmission of catch logs sheets in zones + high seas- Identification of licensed vesselsIdentification of licensed vessels- Vessel reporting requirementsVessel reporting requirements- Conditions regulating placement + functions of observersConditions regulating placement + functions of observers- Conduct of vessels in transitConduct of vessels in transit- Enforcement measuresEnforcement measures- Vessel monitoring system (VMS)Vessel monitoring system (VMS)- Regional vessel monitoring system registerRegional vessel monitoring system register

Continue PIC experience…Continue PIC experience…o Regional Vessel Monitoring System 1998Regional Vessel Monitoring System 1998 (To enhance MCS measures) (To enhance MCS measures)- MTCsMTCs- FFA Coordinated Observer programFFA Coordinated Observer program- Nuie Treaty (Fisheries surveillance & Law Enforcement)Nuie Treaty (Fisheries surveillance & Law Enforcement)- Coordinated Aerial SurveillanceCoordinated Aerial Surveillance

These have become part of national legislations and These have become part of national legislations and therefore applied as license conditionstherefore applied as license conditions

Establishment of Western & Central Pacific Establishment of Western & Central Pacific Commission 2004Commission 2004

o Empowered to impose management in high seas Empowered to impose management in high seas

PrioritiesPriorities

Encourage cooperation between SVEs within the region Encourage cooperation between SVEs within the region – this can address the issue of costs– this can address the issue of costsEncourage better coordination between relevant Encourage better coordination between relevant government arms – MCS functions on the national level government arms – MCS functions on the national level is better delivered through a coordinated approachis better delivered through a coordinated approachAbove initiatives must be supported by well developed Above initiatives must be supported by well developed fisheries legislationfisheries legislationNeed to better document the efforts to address illegal, Need to better document the efforts to address illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) and develop mechanisms unreported, unregulated (IUU) and develop mechanisms for auditing these effortsfor auditing these effortsConsistent review of management plans backed by Consistent review of management plans backed by strong stock assessment (resource survey) programsstrong stock assessment (resource survey) programsStrengthen MTCs through collective effortsStrengthen MTCs through collective efforts

(2) Inshore fisheries(2) Inshore fisheries

BackgroundBackgroundo Within 3 miles from the shoreWithin 3 miles from the shoreo Predominantly sedentary, riverine, deltaic plains,lake and Predominantly sedentary, riverine, deltaic plains,lake and

reef fish fisheriesreef fish fisherieso Largely customary owned Largely customary owned

ChallengesChallengeso Issues of ‘rights over resources’Issues of ‘rights over resources’o From subsistence to commercially drivenFrom subsistence to commercially driveno Foreign influence in domesticated fisheries hard to Foreign influence in domesticated fisheries hard to

monitor and prosecutemonitor and prosecuteo Enforcement of management measures & licensing Enforcement of management measures & licensing

conditions under a Top-down fisheries management conditions under a Top-down fisheries management framework limitedframework limited

Inshore management prioritiesInshore management priorities

Encourage community based Encourage community based managementmanagement

o Increase involvement of the communityIncrease involvement of the communityo Actively participate in fisheries management Actively participate in fisheries management o Empowerment of local fisheries communitiesEmpowerment of local fisheries communitieso Fishing Communities become responsible in Fishing Communities become responsible in

ensuring the sustainable harvest and use of ensuring the sustainable harvest and use of inshore fisheries resourceinshore fisheries resource

o Encourage bottom-up approachEncourage bottom-up approach

Bottom up approachBottom up approachInternational

Conventions/best practice

RFMOs/Regional

Arrangements

National

Fisheries Legislation

Community

Base management

Blending of traditional & Blending of traditional & modern regimesmodern regimes

o Institutionally/legally empower Institutionally/legally empower communitiescommunities

o Local communities make their own Local communities make their own laws but consistent with national laws but consistent with national fisheries legislationfisheries legislation

o Communities to enforce management Communities to enforce management measures + licensing conditions but measures + licensing conditions but with support from governmentwith support from government

Inshore priorities continue…Inshore priorities continue…

Capacity building in stock assessment Capacity building in stock assessment (resource surveys) programs(resource surveys) programsAs a result consistent, up to date review of As a result consistent, up to date review of management plansmanagement plansAquaculture and/or maricultureAquaculture and/or maricultureRe-stocking exerciseRe-stocking exerciseCommunity awareness programsCommunity awareness programsCoordinated approach in MCS activities Coordinated approach in MCS activities with other relevant government armswith other relevant government arms

The challenges faced by SVEs in terms of Managing fisheries is The challenges faced by SVEs in terms of Managing fisheries is almost similar to problems that confront them in their efforts to almost similar to problems that confront them in their efforts to integrate into the global economyintegrate into the global economyThe problems are both inherent and inheritedThe problems are both inherent and inheritedHowever, priorities have to be placed on the following:However, priorities have to be placed on the following:

o Encourage community involvement in fisheries management Encourage community involvement in fisheries management o Encourage collaboration between national enforcement agenciesEncourage collaboration between national enforcement agencieso Encourage regional collaboration Encourage regional collaboration

These could assist towards address financial constraints, These could assist towards address financial constraints, administrative and MCS limitations faced by Small Vulnerable administrative and MCS limitations faced by Small Vulnerable EconomiesEconomies

ConclusionConclusion

Finally…Finally…

Fish and fishery resources to most, if not all Fish and fishery resources to most, if not all SVEs represents not only livelihood and SVEs represents not only livelihood and nutrition, but also most probably the only nutrition, but also most probably the only significant source of income and basis for significant source of income and basis for economic development and poverty economic development and poverty alleviation…alleviation…

……it is because of these that great it is because of these that great importance is placed on the long term importance is placed on the long term sustainability of fisheries resources…sustainability of fisheries resources…

THANK YOUTHANK YOU