INVITATION TO THE 26TH SESSION OF THE INDIAN OCEAN TUNA COMMISSION AND ASSOCIATED MEETINGS (COC19, SCAF19, TCMP05)

INVITATION TO THE 26^th SESSION OF THE INDIAN OCEAN TUNA COMMISSION AND ASSOCIATED MEETINGS (COC19, SCAF19, TCMP05)

I have the honour to extend to you an invitation to participate in the 26^th Session of the Commission, which will be held from 16 to 20 May 2022.

The 19th Session of the Compliance Committee, the 19th Session of the Standing Committee on Administration and Finance and the 5th Session of the Technical Committee on Management Procedures will also be held in conjunction with the Commission meeting. Session dates are given below.

The meeting will be face to face for CPCs only

The Commission has expressed a strong desire to resume face-to-face meetings, to the extent the COVID-19 pandemic will allow. To this end, S26 and its associated meetings will be held in Seychelles from 8 to 20 May, but physical participation has to be restricted.

All meetings will be held at the Eden Bleu Hotel on Eden Island.

Given Government social distancing requirements and hotel limitations, only CPCs will be permitted to participate from inside the meeting room, and there will be only one Head of Delegation and one Alternate in the meeting room at any one time.

All other members of a delegation and observers will be required to participate by videoconference (Zoom).

Meeting Participation fund (for developing IOTC Contracting Party Members only)

The participation of up to two representatives from developing Members of the IOTC may be supported through the IOTC Meeting Participation Fund (MPF). The applications for the MPF, must be received by the IOTC Secretariat ([email protected]) no later than 60 days before the start of the meeting (the dates are indicated below). NOTE – this 60-day deadline will be strictly enforced.

Applications must include:

1. i) an official nomination letter
2. ii) the contact details of the nominee (with a copy of his/her passport).

The rules of procedure for the administration of the IOTC Meeting Participation Fund as well as guidelines for applying to the MPF can be found in Appendix VIII of the IOTC Rules of Procedure (click here).  Please be reminded that there is no provision in the IOTC Rules of Procedure (2014) for the IOTC Secretariat to consider late applications.

Credentials

In accordance with Rule III of the IOTC Rules of Procedure (2014), official credentials are required to participate in the meetings. For your convenience, a draft letter of credentials (from Appendix I of the IOTC Rules of Procedure, 2014) is available here.

Contracting Parties & Cooperating Non-contracting Parties (CPCs)

Rule III.1 of the IOTC Rules of Procedure states: “Such Letter of Credentials shall conform to the standard set out in Appendix I.” Please also refer to IOTC Circular 2021-49 on the content of Credentials.

The Credentials are requested to be sent no later than 15 days before each meeting to [email protected]. Only credentialed individuals will receive a Zoom link to join the meetings.

Invited Experts and Observers

IOTC Observers and Invited Experts are also requested to submit a similar Letter of Credentials indicating who will receive the Zoom link. The credentials should also include the email address and contact phone number for each recipient. Credentials are requested no later than 15 days before each meeting to [email protected].

Proposals for Conservation and Management Measures:

In accordance with the procedure agreed upon by the Commission in 2011, only those proposals for new or revised Conservation or Management Measures received thirty (30) days before the Session, at the latest, will be considered by the Commission. Thus, all proposals must be received by the IOTC Secretariat before midnight on 16 April, Seychelles time.

However, in accordance with Resolution 16/10, Contracting Parties are encouraged to submit a provisional title, Contracting Party sponsorship and a focal point for each proposal (including the email address of the focal point), a minimum of 60 days prior to each annual Session (i.e. 17 March in 2022) so that all Contracting Parties are provided with an opportunity to identify proposals being developed by other CPCs, and as appropriate, cooperate in the development of proposals prior to the Session in which they are to be discussed.

Proposals to amend the IOTC Rules of Procedure:

In accordance with Rule XVII of the IOTC Rules of Procedure, any proposals to amend the ROP must be distributed at least 60 days before the session of the commission i.e. 17 March.