4 0
J. A. GI’LLANII AND J. E. CARROZ
composition, species coverage, functions, powers and activities of
international fishery bodies vary considerably.
The effectiveness of these bodies depends to a very great extent on
the participation and collaboration of all the states concerned. Such
states would normally be limited to those whose nationals and vessels
carry out fishing operations in the geographic area served in the region.
The provisions of the basic instruments concerning eligibility for
membership do not always make it possible for all these states to
participate.
I n several cases the fisheries bodies are, as it were, land-based, since
only states whose territories are situated in the area of competenee may
become members. These include the Regional Fisheries Advisory
Commission for the South-West Atlantic and the Regional Fisheries
Commission for Western Africa, both set up under the Constitution of
F.A.O. A certain number o f conventions do not provide expressly or
implicitly for the possibility of later accessions, but this should not
necessarily be interpreted as excluding the acceptance of new members.
Several conventions provide that membership of the fisheries body is
open, under certain conditions, to states other than the coastal states
in the area of competence or to states other than original members.
Thus, any states whose nationals participate in fisheries in the area of
competence o f the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission may
become members of the Commission with the unanimous consent of the
contracting parties. Only a few commissions are open to any states
which adhere to the basic instrument simply by addressing the required
notification to the depositary government. They include the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, the
International Whaling Commission, and the North-East Atlantic
Fisheries Commission.
When the membership of international fishery bodies is open,
acceptance of all rights and duties as a member of such bodies is entirely
voluntary. Under existing rules of international law, neither the states
whose nationals or vessels carry out fishing operations on the high seas
in the area of competence of a fisheries body, nor the coastal states in
cases where a stock or stocks of fish inhabit both the fishing areas under
their jurisdiction and areas of the adjacent high seas, may be compelled
to become full members of the body or to comply with any conservation
measure it may formulate. The 1958 United Nations Conference on the
Law of the Sea could only adopt recommendations on the subject,
urging states concerned to co-operate.
Many international fishery commissions and councils were set up to
deal with all fisheries resources within their area of competence.
J. A. GI’LLANII AND J. E. CARROZ
composition, species coverage, functions, powers and activities of
international fishery bodies vary considerably.
The effectiveness of these bodies depends to a very great extent on
the participation and collaboration of all the states concerned. Such
states would normally be limited to those whose nationals and vessels
carry out fishing operations in the geographic area served in the region.
The provisions of the basic instruments concerning eligibility for
membership do not always make it possible for all these states to
participate.
I n several cases the fisheries bodies are, as it were, land-based, since
only states whose territories are situated in the area of competenee may
become members. These include the Regional Fisheries Advisory
Commission for the South-West Atlantic and the Regional Fisheries
Commission for Western Africa, both set up under the Constitution of
F.A.O. A certain number o f conventions do not provide expressly or
implicitly for the possibility of later accessions, but this should not
necessarily be interpreted as excluding the acceptance of new members.
Several conventions provide that membership of the fisheries body is
open, under certain conditions, to states other than the coastal states
in the area of competence or to states other than original members.
Thus, any states whose nationals participate in fisheries in the area of
competence o f the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission may
become members of the Commission with the unanimous consent of the
contracting parties. Only a few commissions are open to any states
which adhere to the basic instrument simply by addressing the required
notification to the depositary government. They include the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, the
International Whaling Commission, and the North-East Atlantic
Fisheries Commission.
When the membership of international fishery bodies is open,
acceptance of all rights and duties as a member of such bodies is entirely
voluntary. Under existing rules of international law, neither the states
whose nationals or vessels carry out fishing operations on the high seas
in the area of competence of a fisheries body, nor the coastal states in
cases where a stock or stocks of fish inhabit both the fishing areas under
their jurisdiction and areas of the adjacent high seas, may be compelled
to become full members of the body or to comply with any conservation
measure it may formulate. The 1958 United Nations Conference on the
Law of the Sea could only adopt recommendations on the subject,
urging states concerned to co-operate.
Many international fishery commissions and councils were set up to
deal with all fisheries resources within their area of competence.