RSN Statement to COFI 35: Regional Fishery Bodies essential for the conservation and sustainable management of all living aquatic resources

A cover image from RSN Magazine, produced by the Regional Fishery Body Secretariats' Network (RSN); photograph by Pexels/Quang Nguyen Vinh

The Regional Fishery Body Secretariats' Network (RSN) Statement to the recent 35th Session of the Committee of Fisheries (COFI 35) has been posted to the COFI 35 website. The Statement, “Developments in global and regional processes related to fisheries and aquaculture” was submitted by RSN Chair, Mr. Guillermo Compeán.

In his Statement, Mr. Compeán presented examples of achievements of the RSN, including the growth and development of the RSN Magazine, the fostering of technical publications related to RFBs, and the co-production with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) of 54 Regional Fishery Bodies (RFB) factsheets. He further noted the “essential role played by RFB’s in the conservation and sustainable management of all living aquatic resources”, highlighting the unique position of the RSN Network in its provision of “an international forum with which to convey global policies to the regional and individual country level”, and signified the RSN as an “important tool to reach the goals and commitments identified and adopted by COFI”.

Mr Compeán also provided a brief insight into the 9th Meeting of the RSN which took place prior to COFI 35, advising that important items of discussion included “the impact of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture sustainability, area-based management tools including OECM [other effective area-based conservation measures], safety at sea and decent working conditions, the relevance of the RFB performance review practices, and a revised Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure for the RSN.” The report of the meeting will be available at a future date on the FAO website.

ACAP was pleased to acknowledge in its own Opening Statement to COFI 35 of its inclusion in the Regional Secretariats' Network (RSN) which meets before and after COFI. This inclusion in the RSN provides welcome opportunities to share with a broad range of colleagues the latest updates to ACAP’s best practice advice for reducing the impact of fisheries on seabirds.

The Chair's Statement is available at the COFI 35 website, here.

Posted 21 September 2022