21st Session of the Compliance Committee

1. Meeting of the Compliance Committee

The meetings of the Compliance Committee shall be held for a period of at least 2 days to assess individual IOTC Contracting Parties (Members) and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties' (hereinafter referred together as “CPCs”) compliance and enforcement with their obligations as Members and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties of IOTC.

2. Mandate and Objectives of the Compliance Committee

a) The Compliance Committee shall be responsible for reviewing all aspects of CPCs individual compliance with binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures in the IOTC area of competence

b) The Compliance Committee shall report directly to the Commission on its deliberations and recommendations

c) The Compliance Committee shall cooperate closely with other IOTC subsidiary bodies in order to remain informed on all issues concerning compliance with binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures

d) The work of the Compliance Committee shall be guided by the following overall objectives:

i) To provide a structured forum for discussion of all problems related to effective implementation of, and compliance with, binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures in the IOTC Area

ii) To gather and review information relevant to compliance with IOTC Conservation and Management Measures from IOTC subsidiary bodies, and from Reports of Implementation submitted by CPCs

iii)  To identify and discuss problems related to the implementation of, and compliance with, binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures, and to make recommendations to the Commission on how to address these problems.

3. The terms of reference of the Compliance Committee shall be to:

a) Review each individual CPC's compliance with binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures adopted by the Commission and make such recommendations to the Commission as may be necessary to ensure their effectiveness, notably in relation to:

i) The mandatory statistical requirements and all issues related to obligatory reporting and data providing, including non targeted species

ii) The level of CPC's conformity with binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures

iii)  The CPC's conformity with the resolutions concerning the limitation of the fishing capacity

iv) The status of implementation of resolutions for monitoring, control, surveillance and enforcement adopted by the Commission (e.g. Port inspections, VMS, follow-up on infringements and market related measures)

v) The reporting on authorised as well as active vessels in IOTC area of competence, in particular in relation to the IOTC Resolution on fishing effort limitation.

b) The Compliance Committee shall also be tasked to:

i) Compile reports, with the help of the IOTC Secretariat, based on information submitted by CPCs in accordance to the various Resolutions adopted by the Commission and, which will form the basis for the compliance examination process

ii) Develop a structured, integrated approach to evaluate the compliance of each CPC against the IOTC Resolutions in force. The Chairman of the Compliance Committee, assisted by the IOTC Secretariat, will identify, select and transmit the significant non compliance issues to each CPC and submit them for discussion at the Compliance Committee meeting

iii)  Issue its opinion on the compliance status of each CPC at the end of the meeting. Non compliance with the binding IOTC Conservation and Management Measures will lead to a declaration of non compliance by the Compliance Committee and recommend suitable actions for consideration of the Commission

iv) Develop a scheme of incentives and sanctions and a mechanism for their application to encourage compliance by all CPCs

v) Perform such other tasks as directed by the Commission.