Regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) are international organisations formed by countries with fishing interests in an area. Some of them manage all the fish stocks found in a specific area, while others focus on particular highly-migratory species, notably tuna, throughout vast geographical areas.

The organisations are open both to countries in the region (“coastal states”) and countries with interests in the fisheries concerned. While some regional fisheries bodies (RFBs) have a purely advisory role, RFMOs have management powers to set catch and fishing effort limits, technical measures, and control obligations, that are binding on their members.

The EU, represented by the European Commission, plays an active role in 6 tuna and 11 non-tuna RFMOs or RFBs.

RFMOs which manage highly-migratory species, mainly tuna:

• International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
• Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
• Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
• Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
• Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Programme (AIDCP) (sister organisation to IATTC)
• Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT)

RFMOs which manage fish stocks by geographical area:

• Convention on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
• Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollock Resources in the Central Bering Sea (CCBSP)
• North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
• Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)
• North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO)
• South-East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO)
• South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)
• South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)
• General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM)

The EU also participates in two RFMOs which have a purely advisory status:

• Western Central Atlantic Fisheries Commission (WECAFC)
• Fisheries Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF)

The EU also follows the works of the Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) as an observer. 
In 2018, the EU requested to become a Member to the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC).

Official documents

Legislation

Regulation (EU) No 1343/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area and amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea

Communications

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on External Dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy - COM/2011/424

Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament Community - participation in Regional Fisheries Organisations (RFOs) - COM/1999/0613