Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission
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| Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission |
| Abbreviation | APFIC |
| Formation | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Bangkok |
| Region served | Asia-Pacific |
| Parent organization | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |
Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission provides a regional forum for coordinating Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations policy and technical work on fisheries in the Asia-Pacific region. It links national fisheries administrations such as the Department of Fisheries (Thailand), the Fisheries Department (New Zealand), and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources with intergovernmental bodies including the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. The commission convenes technical meetings that bring together experts from agencies like the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and the International Maritime Organization.
History
The commission originated as the Indo-Pacific Fishery Commission established under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and successor organizations created in the aftermath of World War II reconstruction and the Bretton Woods Conference era. Early members included colonies and newly independent states such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Japan alongside Commonwealth administrations like the United Kingdom and the Australia. The body evolved through Cold War dynamics involving actors such as the United States and the Soviet Union and adapted to post‑colonial governance changes including admissions of the People's Republic of China and the Federation of Malaya. Major milestones include intersessional reports influenced by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, policy shifts after the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea and technical collaborations with the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management and the WorldFish Center.
Mandate and Functions
The commission’s mandate derives from FAO constitutional arrangements and regional mandates similar to those of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. It provides technical guidance on stock assessment methodologies used by Food and Agriculture Organization statisticians, develops regional guidelines aligned with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and supports compliance with instruments such as the Port State Measures Agreement and standards set by the World Trade Organization for sanitary measures. Functional outputs include capacity building in collaboration with institutions like the University of Tokyo (Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences), applied research with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and advisory services to ministries that implement policies like those of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (China) and the Ministry of Fisheries and Oceans (Canada).
Organization and Governance
Governance follows FAO committee practice with a Secretariat hosted in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok. The commission convenes biennial sessions that adopt workplans and budgets scrutinized by representatives from national agencies such as Department of Agriculture (Philippines), the Ministry of Marine Resources (Fiji), and provincial delegations like British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Technical sub‑groups interface with academic centers including University of British Columbia, James Cook University, and University of the Philippines Los Baños. Leadership rotates through elected chairs drawn from member delegations and links to governing boards of entities such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Fisheries Working Group and the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
Membership and Regional Coverage
Membership comprises countries and territories across the Asia-Pacific including China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Pacific island states like Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Coverage spans coastal ecosystems such as the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea, the Coral Triangle, the East China Sea, and extended maritime zones claimed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The commission’s remit intersects regional fisheries bodies like the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency and national institutions including the National Institute of Fisheries Science (Korea).
Key Programs and Activities
Major programs include sustainable aquaculture initiatives coordinated with the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, small‑scale fisheries support aligned with Small‑Scale Fisheries Guidelines discussions, and stock assessment projects utilizing methods from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The commission runs capacity building workshops with partners such as FAO, the WorldFish Center, and the Food Policy Research Institute while producing technical reports comparable to those of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Activities include data standardization efforts interoperable with the Global Record project, action plans addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in line with the Port State Measures Agreement, and climate adaptation guidance referencing work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Global Environment Facility.
Partnerships and Funding
Partnerships span multilateral institutions including the United Nations Development Programme, bilateral donors such as the Japan International Cooperation Agency, philanthropic funders like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and financial institutions including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. Collaborative research involves academic partners such as Wageningen University & Research, The University of Tokyo, and University of the Philippines, and NGOs including the World Wide Fund for Nature, Conservation International, and Oceana. Funding mechanisms combine FAO core support, project grants from entities like the Global Environment Facility, and technical assistance from donor governments such as Australia and Japan.
Impact, Challenges, and Future Directions
The commission has influenced national policy instruments, stock assessment practices, and regional cooperation frameworks comparable to contributions by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. Challenges include addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing linked to transshipment issues highlighted by INTERPOL reports, adapting to climate‑driven distributional shifts documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and integrating livelihoods concerns raised by International Labour Organization assessments. Future directions emphasize blue economy strategies promoted by the Asian Development Bank, ecosystem‑based fisheries management supported by the Convention on Biological Diversity, and digitalization efforts interoperable with Global Fishing Watch and the United Nations Global Platform.