The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is an inter-governmental fishery organisation responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas.
ICCAT:
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develops scientific-based management advice,
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provides a mechanism for contracting parties to agree on management measures, and
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co-ordinates research, including stock assessment, on behalf of its members,
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compiles fishery statistics from its members and from all entities fishing for these species in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean
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produces relevant publications.
ICCAT Contracting parties: European Community, Algeria, Angola, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, China, Honduras, Iceland, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Equatorial Guinea, France (1), Gabon, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Japan, Libya, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Panama, Russia, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Trinidad, Tunisia, United Kingdom(1), United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vanuatu, Turkey, Philippines, Norway, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Senegal.
(1) On behalf of its overseas territories in the area.
> EU Member States with fishing vessels in the area (number of vessels longer than 24m - 2005):
Member State N° of vessels Spain 449 France 772 Greece 69 Ireland 22 Italy 619 Portugal 80 UK 331 Malta 4 Netherlands 11 Cyprus 2
Relevant Community Legislation pertaining to ICCAT.
Community legislation related to Regional Fisheries Organisations includes two basic types of acts: first, those whereby the Community gains membership of the Organisation, either as a founding Party or as an acceding member (2). Second, implementing regulations transposing into Community law the conservation and management measures adopted by each RFO, notably control and monitoring of fishing activities, and technical measures (3).
- 86/238/EEC: Council Decision of 9 June 1986 on the accession of the Community to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, as amended by the Protocol annexed to the Final Act of the Conference of Plenipotentiaries of the States Parties to the Convention signed in Paris on 10 July 1984
- Council Regulation (EC) No 2287/2003 of 19 December 2003 fixing for 2004 the fishing opportunities and associated conditions for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, applicable in Community waters and, for Community vessels, in waters where catch limitations are required
- Council Regulation (EC) No 1936/2001 of 27 September 2001 laying down control measures applicable to fishing for certain stocks of highly migratory fish (
~ 209 Kb) - Council Regulation (EC) No 973/2001 of 14 May 2001 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of certain stocks of highly migratory species ( ~ 269 Kb)
- Council Regulation (EC) No 2093/2000 of 28 September 2000 prohibiting imports of Atlantic swordfish (Xiphias gladius) originating in Belize and Honduras ( ~ 30,5 Kb)
- Council Regulation (EC) No 2092/2000 of 28 September 2000 prohibiting imports of Atlantic blue-fin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) originating in Belize, Honduras and Equatorial Guinea ( ~ 32,3 Kb)
(2) membership in Fisheries Committees established under Article VI FAO is open to all FAO members by simple notification to the FAO secretariat and does not require the adoption of specific legislation.
(3) in respect of measures establishing TACs and quotas, the implementation of RFO measures is ensured through a single act approved each year and covering all organisations: the TACs and Quotas Regulation. This act is therefore not mentioned below.
Useful links
Press releases
- 31.01.2007
Commission pleased at International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas' allocation of bluefin tuna - 26.01.2007
Commission: Kobe agreement by regional fisheries organisations will step up protection for world tuna stocks - 27.11.2006
Commission: "ICCAT decisive measures offer realistic chance for sustainable fisheries of bluefin tuna" - 17.11.2006
Joe Borg : "ICCAT meeting is make or break for future of Atlantic bluefin tuna stock and related fisheries" -
06.10.2000
Control measures for fisheries of tuna -
27.11.1998
Agreement on limiting catches of bluefin tuna in the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT): balancing conservation and the interests of European fishermen (in French)