The objective of the IOTC is to promote cooperation among its Members to ensure, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilization of stocks covered by the Agreement and to encourage sustainable development of related fisheries

1. Good Practices with Regional
Management Bodies: Case of the
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
Rondolph PAYET
Executive Secretary
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission

2.  Established in 1996 , it is the only RFMO based in the IO, and
the only tuna RFMO under the FAO of United Nations
framework.
 Headquarters – based in Victoria, Seychelles
 31 full Member States and 2 Cooperating States
 Most of the tuna fishing nations are members (over 80-90%
of the catch).
 The objective of the IOTC is to promote cooperation
among its Members to ensure, through appropriate
management, the conservation and optimum utilization
of stocks covered by the Agreement and to encourage
sustainable development of related fisheries
 Performance review (2nd
)
IOTC

3.  Decisions are binding by majority rule.
 Decisions (Resolutions) taken collectively but
implemented at national Level.
 Objection procedures
• Most CMMs adopted by the IOTC apply throughout the
entire competence area, including coastal State EEZs, and
thus potentially affect coastal States’ sovereign rights
over the living resources in their EEZs as the CMM in some
way or another restrict fishing activities.
 Countries must translate the Resolutions in national laws.
 Members make contribution's to the organisation ( GDP,
Catch level, development status)
 Carry out capacity building activities
IOTC

4. The structure of IOTC
Commission
(31+2 Member States decide
on actions)
Scientific
Committee
(advise on
status)
Scientific
Committee
(advise on
status)
Compliance
Committee
(advise on
enforcement)
Compliance
Committee
(advise on
enforcement)
Working Groups
(scientific analysis)
•Tropical Tunas
•Billfish
•Temperate Tunas
•Ecosystems
•Data Collection
•Methods
Working Groups
(scientific analysis)
•Tropical Tunas
•Billfish
•Temperate Tunas
•Ecosystems
•Data Collection
•Methods
Secretariat
(support all
processes at all
levels
IGO and NGOIGO and NGO

6. • Yellowfin, skipjack, bigeye, albacore tunas
and swordfish the main species.
•Neritic tunas important at a sub-regional
level.
•16 Species in total + sharks, seasbirds,
whales ( associated species).
• Virtually all the transboundary stocks of
importance in the IO.
• About 40% of catches in the high-seas.
What are the species under IOTC
mandate?

7. Catch 1973-2012
0.0
0.4
0.8
1.2
1.6
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Millionsofmetrictons
Catch IOTC Species 1973-2012
GUT
COM
BLT
FRI
KAW
LOT
SFA
MLS
BUM
BLM
SWO
SKJ
SBF
ALB
BET
YFT
Species
Year
Sum of Catch
WS

8. Compliance
Compliance
Meter
Compliant Partially Compliant Not Compliant
Implementing year 2010 2011 2012
Compliance rate 25% 38% 46%

9. Compliance – where we are
2010 2011
2012
2012

10. Approaches –
Science to
Governance/Deci
sion making

11. •Evaluation of uncertainty in the
stock status, development of
robust management strategies.
•Precautionary approach
•Incorporating ecosystem
considerations into management
decisions.
•The development Management
Strategy Evaluation for Harvest
Control Rules.
Better science to guide decision making:

12. What is Management Strategy Evaluation?
•A strategic risk assessment tool
•Prospective evaluation of alternative management strategies
•Selection of management strategies that are most likely to meet
management objectives and “robust” to major uncertainties
•Two components
• Consultative process
• Technical implementation
Management Strategy Evaluation
and Harvest Control Rules

13. •Objectives
• What the strategy is designed to achieve.
•Monitoring
•Assessment
• Stock assessment or simple analysis
•Harvest Control Rules or Decision rule
• An agreed basis for using the output of
monitoring to change/not change the level of
fishing
•Implementation
• Management measures designed to achieve
change in fishing mortality.
Components of a Harvest Strategy

14. Development of Harvest Strategies for Conservation Measures
•Evaluation of their performance against management
objectives.
•Understand their sensitivity and robustness to uncertainties
•Use of simulation tools to explore the robustness of
management options to uncertainties in the system
•Compare the evolution of “real” and perceived systems to
quantify errors and biases
•To quantify the success at achieving pre-agreed objectives
Management Strategy Evaluation
and Harvest Control Rules

15. What is MSE

18. Challenges
 Sustaining Catch levels and Controlling fishing capacity
 Participation of developing countries
 Translation of the conservation and management
measures into national laws
 Compliance to Conservation and management measures
 Managing the fisheries development aspirations of the
developing/coastal states
 Financial contributions
 Distribution of the conservation burden and benefit is a
critical challenge to the conservation and management
of trans-boundary fish stocks - How to share the
conservation burden

19. Implications for IW LEARN
Projects/GEF – Marine Fisheries
Perspectives Traditional Approach
 Science-based approach tends to drive the
Strategy/institutional frameworks
 Alternative Approach
 Determine the strategy First ( a dialogue between the
scientist/Decision-makers).
 Determine your decision rule ( what to do when X
happens)
 Advise what science needs to address
 Implementation of management decision/monitoring
and assessments.
 Performance Review of the Commissions/Authority

20. Area Beyond National
Jurisdiction (ABNJ) Project –
Tuna
 FAO (with WWF) implemented (GEF funded) –
 Support Tuna RFMOs improving science to
management/governance
 Promote Sustainable management of tuna resources
 Strengthen Monitoring and surveillance of fisheries
 Reduce ecosystem aspects.

21. Thank You
Website: www.iotc.org