In terms of regulatory areas, RFMO/As can be divided in the following three
groups:
1. High seas as well as coastal State maritime zones. This group includes the five
tuna RFMOs and some ‘non-tuna RFMO/As’, for instance CCAMLR
and GFCM;
2. Only or mainly high seas. This group includes most non-tuna RFMO/As; and
3. Only coastal State maritime zones. This group consists of only a few RFMOs, for
instance the Pacific Salmon Commission. Membership in these RFMOs is limited
to coastal States.
At the time of writing, there were five tuna RFMOs and 11 non-tuna RFMO/As
whose regulatory areas include areas of high seas or consist entirely of high seas.
31
These are listed in Table 5.1. While participation in these RFMO/As is commonly a
mix of coastal States and high seas fishing States, some consist exclusive of coastal
States (e.g. the Joint Norwegian Russian Fisheries Commission (JNRFC) and
NEAFC).
32
Table 5.1 RFMO/As with high seas coverage
Acronym
Name in full
Tuna RFMOs
CCSBT
Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
IATTC
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
ICCAT
International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
IOTC
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
WCPFC
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
Non-Tuna RFMOs
CCAMLR
Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
GFCM
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean
NAFO
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
NEAFC
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission
NPFC
North Pacific Fisheries Commission
SEAFO
South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation
SPRFMO
South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation
Non-Tuna RFMAs
CAOF
Agreement
Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic
Ocean (MOP)
CBS
Convention
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the
Central Bering Sea (COP)
JNRFC
Joint Norwegian Russian Fisheries Commission
SIOFA
Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (MOP)
31 The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) and the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) are excluded due to their prohibitions on high seas fishing.
32 For a detailed study see Molenaar (2019).
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E. J. Molenaar
groups:
1. High seas as well as coastal State maritime zones. This group includes the five
tuna RFMOs and some ‘non-tuna RFMO/As’, for instance CCAMLR
and GFCM;
2. Only or mainly high seas. This group includes most non-tuna RFMO/As; and
3. Only coastal State maritime zones. This group consists of only a few RFMOs, for
instance the Pacific Salmon Commission. Membership in these RFMOs is limited
to coastal States.
At the time of writing, there were five tuna RFMOs and 11 non-tuna RFMO/As
whose regulatory areas include areas of high seas or consist entirely of high seas.
31
These are listed in Table 5.1. While participation in these RFMO/As is commonly a
mix of coastal States and high seas fishing States, some consist exclusive of coastal
States (e.g. the Joint Norwegian Russian Fisheries Commission (JNRFC) and
NEAFC).
32
Table 5.1 RFMO/As with high seas coverage
Acronym
Name in full
Tuna RFMOs
CCSBT
Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
IATTC
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
ICCAT
International Commission on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
IOTC
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
WCPFC
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission
Non-Tuna RFMOs
CCAMLR
Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
GFCM
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean
NAFO
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
NEAFC
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission
NPFC
North Pacific Fisheries Commission
SEAFO
South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation
SPRFMO
South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation
Non-Tuna RFMAs
CAOF
Agreement
Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic
Ocean (MOP)
CBS
Convention
Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the
Central Bering Sea (COP)
JNRFC
Joint Norwegian Russian Fisheries Commission
SIOFA
Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (MOP)
31 The North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) and the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) are excluded due to their prohibitions on high seas fishing.
32 For a detailed study see Molenaar (2019).
88
E. J. Molenaar