Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission
Source: Unofficial
Article VI-1 of the FAO Constitution
Resolution 4/61
FAO Council, Sixty-first Session, November 1973
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WESTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC FISHERY COMMISSION THE COUNCIL,
NOTING that the Western Central Atlantic was an area as yet inadequately served by international fishery bodies,
NOTING further that the need for international cooperation for the conservation, development and utilization of the living resources, especially shrimps, of that area had been recognized,
RECALLING that in accordance with a recommendation made by the Committee on Fisheries at its Eighth Session after a thorough examination of the type of body that should be set up, its, terms of reference and area of competence, the Council had authorized the Director-General at its Sixtieth Session to consult all the countries eligible to become members of the proposed body and in the light of these consultations to take the necessary action to establish the body in accordance with the relevant provisions of the FAO Basic Texts. It being understood that it would not be concerned with management and regulation of the fisheries,
NOTING that a majority of the Member Nations bordering the Western Central Atlantic or interested in the fisheries of that area had expressed themselves in favour of the proposed body,
Hereby establishes under Article VI-1 of the Constitution of the Organization a commission to be known as the "Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission", the Statutes of which shall be as follows:
1. The Commission's area of competence shall be all marine waters of the Western Central Atlantic bounded by a line drawn as follows: From a point on the coast of South America at 5o 001' N latitude in a northerly direction along this coast past the Atlantic entry to the Panama Canal; thence continue along the coasts of Central and North America to a point on this coast at 35o 00' N latitude; thence due east along-this parallel to 42o 00' W longitude; thence due north along this meridian to 36o 00' N latitude; thence due east along this parallel to 40o 00' W longitude; thence due south along this meridian to 5o 00' N latitude; thence due west along this parallel to the original point at 5o 00' N latitude on the coast of South America.
2. The terms of reference of the Commission shall be:
(a) to promote and assist in the collection of national statistics and biological data relating to fisheries in general and the shrimp fisheries in particular; and to provide for the compilation and dissemination of these data on a regional basis;
(b) to facilitate the coordination of national research programmes and to promote, where appropriate, the standardization of research methods;
(c) to promote the interchange of information relating to the fisheries of the region;
(d) to promote and coordinate, on a national and regional basis, studies of the effect of the environment and of pollution on fisheries, and studies of appropriate methods of control and improvement;
(f) to promote and assist the development of aquaculture and stock improvement;
(g) to encourage education and training through the establishment or improvement of national; and
(h) regional institutions and by the organization of training centres and seminars;
(i) to assist Member Governments in establishing rational policies for the development and utilization of the resources consistent with national objectives and the conservation and' improvement of the resources; and
(j) to promote and coordinate international aid to further the achievement of the objectives referred to in the preceding sub-paragraphs.
3. Membership in the Commission shall be open to all Member Nations and Associate Members, which notify the Director-General of the Organization of their desire to be considered as members;
4. The participation as observers of Member Nations and Associate Members that are not members of-the Commission, of non-Member Nations of the Organization and of international organizations shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the principles adopted by the Conference.
5. The Commission may establish such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary for the accomplishment of its task, and in particular to deal with special problems arising in subdivisions of its area of competence, subject to the availability of the necessary funds in the relevant chapter of the approved budget of the Organization; the determination of such availability shall be made by the Director-General. Before taking any decision involving expenditure in connection with the creation of subsidiary bodies, the Commission must have before it a report from the Director-General on the administrative and financial implications thereof.
6. The Secretary of the Commission shall be appointed by the Director-General and shall be administratively responsible to him.
7. At each Session the Commission shall adopt a report which shall be transmitted by the Director-General to Member Nations and Associate Members and to interested international organizations. Any conclusions and recommendations having policy, programme, or financial implications shall be brought to the attention of the Conference by the Director-General.
8. Any financial operations relating to the Commission and its subsidiary bodies shall be governed by the appropriate provisions of the Financial Regulations of the Organization. Expenses incurred by representatives of Members of the Commission, their alternates or advisers, when attending sessions of the Commission or its subsidiary bodies, as well as the expenses incurred by observers at sessions, shall be borne by the respective governments or organizations.
9. The Commission may adopt and amend its own rules of procedure which shall come into force upon approval by the Director-General, subject to confirmation by the Council.
Resolution 3/74
AMENDMENTS TO THE STATUTES OF THE WESTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC FISHERY COMMISSION
THE COUNCIL,
RECALLING Resolution 4/61 by which it established the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission and promulgated the Commission's Statutes,
NOTING that at its Second Session, in May 1978, the Commission decided unanimously to request the Council, through the Director-General, to amend its Statutes so that the Commission could, at the request of the countries concerned, recommend measures designed to promote the development, conservation, rational management and best utilization of fishery resources,
NOTING further that the Commission also requested the Council to amend its Statutes so as to extend southwards the southern boundary of the Commission's area of competence from 5o 00'N to 10o 00'S latitude,
DECIDES to amend the Commission's Statutes as follows:
Paragraph 1 of the Statutes shall read:
"l. The Commission's area of competence shall be all marine waters of the Western Central Atlantic bounded by a line drawn as follows: From a point on the coast of South America at 10o 00'S latitude in a northerly direction along this coast past the Atlantic entry to the Panama Canal; thence continue along the coasts of Central and North America to a point on this coast at 35o 00'N latitude; thence due east along this parallel to 42o 00' W longitude; thence due north along this meridian to 36o 00'N latitude; thence due east parallel to 40o 00'W longitude; thence due south along this meridian to 5o 00'N latitude; [thence due west along this parallel to the original point at 5o 00'N latitude on the coast of South America]; thence due east along this parallel to 30o 00'W longitude; thence due south along this meridian to the equator; thence due east along the equator to 20o 00'W Longitude; thence due south along this meridian to 10o 00'S latitude; thence due west along this parallel to the original point at 10o 00'S latitude on the coast of South America." Paragraph 2 of the Statutes shall read:
"2. The terms of reference of the Commission shall be:
(a) to promote and assist in the collection of national statistics and biology data relating to fisheries in general, and the shrimp fisheries in particular and to provide for the compilation and dissemination of these data on a real basis;
(b) to facilitate the coordination of national research programmes and to pro where appropriate, the standardization of research methods;
(c) to promote the interchange of information relating to the fisheries of the region;
(d) to promote and coordinate, on a national and regional basis, studies of the effect of the 'environment and of pollution on fisheries, and studies of appropriate methods of control and improvement;
(e) to promote and assist the development of aquaculture and stock improvements;
(f) to encourage education and training through the establishment or improvement of national and regional institutions and by the organization of training centres and seminars;
(g) to assist Member Governments in establishing rational policies for the development and utilization of the resources consistent with national objectives and the conservation and improvement of the resources; and
(h) at the request of Member Governments concerned, to promote the development, conservation, rational management and best utilization sources that are of living marine resources that are of interest to two or more countries; and
(i) to promote and coordinate international aid to further the achievement of the objectives referred to in the preceding sub-paragraphs."
