Book Description

The purpose of this Manual is to assist IOTC Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties (CPCs) to better understand the measures and actions that they must take in discharging their reporting obligations. It provides an overview of the IOTC Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) that require active reporting and explains the aim, technical requirements and reporting requirements for each. The content is divided into three chapters. The first chapter provides an overview of the objective and structure of this Manual. It describes IOTC Resolutions and Recommendations, and explains the IOTC functions and institutional arrangements responsible for compliance with their requirements. It defines both event-based and recurring reporting and presents a table showing for each Resolution whether the flag, port, coastal and/or market State(s) has or have reporting obligations. The second chapter focuses on the Resolutions that require reporting and explains for each the key considerations for its adoption, the aim and application, technical and reporting requirements. The Resolutions appear in a framework based on the objective of the Resolution: fisheries management, monitoring, control and surveillance, mandatory statistics and market-related measures. The third chapter describes CPCs’ reporting requirements under Article X of the IOTC Agreement, the Rules of Procedure and relevant decisions of the Commission and the Scientific Committee. They require reporting through the annual Report of Implementation, the Standard Compliance Questionnaire and the National Scientific Report. This Manual is a living document that can be revised and improved by all CPCs as experience is gained in the implementation of the IOTC Conservation and Management Measures.