To ensure that transshipment does not provide a mechanism for toothfish harvested by illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities to enter commerce, as well as to address compliance issues discussed in SCIC, CCAMLR considered proposed revisions to existing measures to improve the monitoring and control of transshipments in 2014[1], 2015[2], and 2016[3]. Despite robust consideration, no consensus was reached on these proposals. This paper draws Members’ attention to the new work on transshipment being carried out by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) following on a recommendation from the Committee on Fisheries (COFI). The report by the FAO on this issue is expected to provide CCAMLR members with a strong resource to help address current gaps in the monitoring of transshipments. The United States looks forward to reviewing the report’s findings and, with due consideration of the relevant recommendations from the second performance review (CCAMLR-XXXVI/01, paragraphs 54 and 55), working with other Members during the intersessional period on a proposal for consideration at CCAMLR XXXVII. Improving the monitoring and control of transshipments is critical to the prevention of support or concealment of IUU fishing and to improving CCAMLR’s understanding of transshipment activities involving Antarctic marine living resources harvested inside the Convention Area.
[1] SCIC 2014: the United States presented draft revisions to CM 10-02 and 10-09 for consideration
[2] CCAMLR-XXXIV/27, Proposal to strengthen monitoring and control of transshipments, 04 September 2015, Delegation of the USA
[3] CCAMLR-XXXV/24, Proposal to strengthen monitoring and control of transshipments, 02 September 2016, Delegations of Australia and the USA