REPORT OF THE AD HOC WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW THE STRUCTURE, FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE INDO-PACIFIC FISHERY COMMISSION
COMMITTEE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF
FISHERIES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA
Bangkok, Thailand,
15-16 MARCH 1989
1.
The working group based its deliberations on the issues raised at the Sixth Session of the Committee for the Development and Management of Fisheries in the South China Sea held in Manila, 6-9 December 1988 and referred to in paragraphs 68-73 of the report of the Session. The Committee is hereinafter referred to as CDMSCS.
2.
In reviewing the functions of the Standing Committee on Resources Research and Development (SCORRAD), CDMSCS, while recognizing the role of SCORRAD in stimulating scientific research and training for the members of the Indo-Pacific Fishery Commission (IPFC), felt that SCORRAD should be fulfilling the role of providing scientific advice to CDMSCS in its deliberations on management and development of fisheries. In this connection, the Working Group felt that SCORRAD should play a dual role, i.e., fulfil the research and training needs of the broader membership of IPFC, as well as fulfil a scientific advisory role to CDMSCS, on specific issues concerning fisheries resources arising in the South China Sea region and requiring the attention of CDMSCs. The existing functional organization chart of IPFC and its subsidiary bodies would therefore need to be amended to reflect the advisory function of SCORRAD to CDMSCS. The Working Group was also of the view that it was not appropriate to entrust SCORRAD with the responsibility for improving national statistics for the Member Countries of CDMSCS, since fisheries statistics are the responsibility of the fisheries administrations of the Member Countries rather than that of the scientific institutes.
3.
The Working Group, felt that it was inappropriate to have abolished the IPFC/IOFC Joint Working Party of Experts on Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Fishery Statistics, and that it should be reinstated with a new orientation towards the present statistical requirements for fisheries management. It was proposed that the working party should be called the Working Party on Fisheries Economics and Statistics to provide the appropriate focus for the statistical needs of the Member Countries of CDMSCS.
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4 The Working Group noted that CDMSCS was concerned with all fisheries within its geographical area and that the Agenda for its sessions should follow the example of IPFC sessions by including items on issues concerning marine fisheries, inland fisheries, aquaculture and fish utilization and marketing. The Working Group also considered that the subjects covered by the IPFC Working Parties were important for CDMSCS and that since the timetable of the Agenda for its Sessions did not provide sufficient time for full consideration of the issues related to these subjects, CDMSCS would require additional working parties for each of inland fisheries, aquaculture and fish utilization and marketing for the Member Countries. The frequency of the working parties and subject matter should be decided at the next session of CDMSCS.