1. The procedures of the Working Party on the Implementation of Conservation and Management Measures (WPICMM) shall be governed mutatis mutandis by the Rules of Procedure of the Commission.
Objectives:
2. The objective of the (WPICMM) is to:
a) Alleviate the technical discussions, workload and time pressures on the Compliance Committee, and permit it to focus on higher level compliance implementation strategies in its work for the Commission;
b) Enhance the technical capacity of Contracting Party (Member) and Cooperating Non-Contracting Party (CNCP) (collectively termed CPCs) to understand and implement IOTC Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs);
c) Prioritise implementation issues and develop operational standards for use by CPCs.
Composition:
3. The WPICMM shall be composed by fisheries compliance officers (or other relevant officer) of the CPCs, scientists, fishers managers, fishing industry representatives, administrators and other interested stakeholders, in accordance with the IOTC Rules of Procedure.
Mandate:
4. Examine all aspects of CPCs technical implementation of CMMs and recommending ways to enhance the level of implementation;
5. Examine Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) technical matters in order to provide the Compliance Committee with options for strengthening MCS;
6. Review the reporting requirements contained within CMMs in order to harmonize and streamline;
7. Develop a methodology for the assessment of implementation by CPCs, for producing the Country Compliance Reports provided annually to the Compliance Committee and flag States;
8. Review and assess the effectiveness and practical aspects of implementation of CMMs adopted by the Commission in order to identify deficiencies and implementation constraints faced by CPCs, and to recommend options for amendments;
9. Propose actions to address deficiencies in implementation;
10. Development of minimum regional standards for implementation of CMMs;
11. Develop a harmonized assessment criteria to identify vessels presumed to have engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities;
12. Monitor the development of, and recommend further actions for the IOTC list of vessels presumed to have engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, including where requested by the Compliance Committee or involved CPCs, a review of the evidence to be presented, where such evidence can be made available to the WPICMM;
13. Monitor the development of, and recommend actions for the list of Large Scale Tuna Longline Vessels (LSTLVs)/carrier vessels presumed to have committed infractions of IOTC CMMs, as recorded by observers deployed under the at-sea transhipment programme;
14. Provide recommendations to the Compliance Committee to assist CPCs in the design and implementation of national MCS systems;
15. Provide recommendations to the Compliance Committee to assist CPCs in the design and implementation of enforcement actions to ensure compliance with IOTC CMMs;
16. Development of regional capacity building mechanisms to assist CPCs to meet the regional minimum terms and conditions or standards for implementation of the CMMs;
17. Provide recommendations for the strengthening of the implementation of CMMs and capacity building activities, including compliance support missions, regional/national training courses and workshops, to be funded under the special fund for capacity building or extra budgetary contributions;
18. Develop recommendations and guidelines for a schedule of sanctions for non-compliance with IOTC CMMs for consideration by the CPCs and the Commission.
19. Review compliance with data reporting obligations by CPCs and recommend actions for implementation.
20. Other tasks as assigned by the Compliance Committee or Commission.
21. The WPICMM would meet once a year, back to back with the meeting of the Compliance Committee, and shall report on its work to the Compliance Committee at its annual session.
