South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation - Conservation and Management Regime

Conservation and Management Regime

SEAFO has adopted innovative ways to manage deep sea fisheries, taking into account the EAF management, the precautionary approach principles as well as the reliance on the best scientific available evidence. Since 2005 and 2007, the following conservation and management measures were adopted:

• Limiting catches for deep sea red crab and Patagonian toothfish in South East Atlantic waters due to concerns on the sustainability of the current fisheries and of the potential negative impacts on the vulnerable marine habitats
• Reducing incidental mortality of seabirds, especially petrels and albatrosses, by fishing gear adjustments and other technical measures during fishing operations
• Prohibiting the “shark finning” practice whereby vessels cut the valuable shark fins off and retain them on board while discarding the carcass of the shark
• Reducing incidental mortality of sea turtles in fishing operations, notably by promptly releasing turtles entangled in fishing gear
• Implementing closed areas in numerous fragile marine ecosystems such as seamounts to ensure long-term conservation and protection in line with precautionary approach principles while more scientific information is becoming available.

For monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of fishing activities, SEAFO has adopted comprehensive and stringent measures including the following:

• Mandatory on-board the fishing vessel a scientific observers in order to collect the required catch and biological data on the stocks
• Mandatory automatic satellite vessel monitoring system (VMS) for all vessels fishing in the SEAFO area
• Port State inspection scheme based on standards set forth in the FAO Model Scheme
• Prohibiting fishing activities in vulnerable marine areas with prominent seamounts
• Banning of transhipments at sea in order to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fisheries (IUU)
• Establishment of a Register of SEAFO authorised fishing vessels
• Established a list of vessels presumed to have carried out IUU fishing activities including IUU vessels that that are in the IUU lists of Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).