Report of the 13th Session of the Compliance Committee

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 13th Session of the Compliance Committee (CoC) of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) was held in La Réunion, France, from 16–18 May 2016. The welcome remarks were given by Mr. Orlando Fachada of the European Union. The meeting was opened by the Chair, Mr. Herminio Tembe (Mozambique). A total of 64 delegates attended the Session, composed of 50 delegates from 24 Contracting Parties (Members) of the Commission, 2 delegate from Liberia and 2 delegates from Senegal, of the 4 Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties, and 10 delegates from 6 Observers (including 3 invited experts).
The following are a subset of the complete recommendations from the CoC13 to the Commission, which are provided at Appendix VIII.
IOTC regional observer programme for at-sea transhipments
CoC13.02 (Para 24) NOTING that India LSTLVs have conducted transhipments activities under the ROP in 2015 and the cost recovery mechanism the ROP is operating, the CoC RECOMMENDED
that India inform officially the Commission of its participation in the IOTC ROP.
Review of reference fishing capacity and fleet development plans (FDP)
CoC13.03 (Para 30) The CoC NOTED the importance of the fleet of Taiwan Province of China operating in the IOTC Area of competence, and RECOMMENDED that, in the future, information on that
fleet is provided in the document dealing with capacity limitations.
National reports on the progress of implementation of Conservation and Management Measures (Article X.2 IOTC Agreement)
CoC13.04 (Para 35)
The CoC RECOMMENDED that those CPCs (Belize, Eritrea, Guinea, India, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Yemen, Bangladesh and Djibouti) who have not submitted their national ‘Reports of Implementation’ for 2015 do so within 30 days after the end of the Commission meeting. The Chair of the CoC, with the assistance of the IOTC Secretariat shall follow-up with each such CPC to ensure a national ‘Reports of Implementation’ is submitted for publication on the IOTC website and to inform CPCs during the Commission meeting and then also via an IOTC Circular once each report is received.
Follow-up on individual compliance status
CoC13.05 (Para 49)
The CoC RECOMMENDED that the Commission agree to the development and distribution of letters of feedback by the IOTC Chair, highlighting areas of non-compliance to relevant CPCs, together with the difficulties and challenges being faced. The development of follow-up actions on the issues contained in the letters of feedback, including potential capacity building activities to address these matters, particularly for developing coastal States’ needs to be developed and funded appropriately.
Activities by the IOTC Secretariat in support of capacity building for developing CPCs – Resolution 12/10
CoC13.24 (Para 125) The CoC RECOMMENDED that the IOTC Secretariat continue with those capacity building activities and strengthen activities that would allow CPCs to address the issue of
mandatory statistics and the implementation of the Regional Observer Scheme.
Adoption of the report of the 13th Session of the Compliance Committee
CoC13.30 (Para 148) The CoC RECOMMENDED that the Commission consider the consolidated set of recommendations arising from CoC13, provided at Appendix VIII.