Implementation of Article 30 of the Convention

At WCPFC15, the Commission directed the Secretariat to develop a webpage dedicated to the Implementation of Article 30 of the Convention. The Commission considered that the publicly available website would include the following information:

• Current and historical Strategic Investment Plans
• Funding options, eligibility and application processes
• Special Requirements Fund proposals and project completion reports for projects >$10,000
• CMM 2013-06 template and assessments to date
• Reports by CCMs on implementation of 2013-07

Article 30 of the Convention

PART VIII - REQUIREMENTS OF DEVELOPING STATES 
Article 30 Recognition of the special requirements of developing States

1. The Commission shall give full recognition to the special requirements of developing States Parties to this Convention, in particular small island developing States, and of territories and possessions, in relation to conservation and management of highly migratory fish stocks in the Convention Area and development of fisheries for such stocks

2. In giving effect to the duty to cooperate in the establishment of conservation and management measures for highly migratory fish stocks, the Commission shall take into account the special requirements of developing States Parties, in particular small island developing States, and of territories and possessions, in particular: 
(a) the vulnerability of developing States Parties, in particular small island developing States, which are dependent on the exploitation of marine living resources, including for meeting the nutritional requirements of their populations or parts thereof;
(b) the need to avoid adverse impacts on, and ensure access to fisheries by, subsistence, small-scale and artisanal fishers and fishworkers, as well as indigenous people in developing States Parties, particularly small island developing States Parties, and territories and possessions; and 
(c) the need to ensure that such measures do not result in transferring, directly or indirectly, a  disproportionate burden of conservation action onto developing States Parties, and territories and possessions.

3. The Commission shall establish a fund to facilitate the effective participation of developing States.  Parties, particularly small island developing States, and, where appropriate, territories and possessions, in the work of the Commission, including its meetings and those of its subsidiary bodies.  The financial regulations of the Commission shall include guidelines for the administration of the fund and criteria for eligibility for assistance. 

4. Cooperation with developing States, and territories and possessions, for the purposes set out in this article may include the provision of financial assistance, assistance relating to human resources development,
technical assistance, transfer of technology, including through joint venture arrangements, and advisory and
consultative services.  Such assistance shall, inter alia, be directed towards: 
(a) improved conservation and management of highly migratory fish stocks through collection, reporting, verification, exchange and analysis of fisheries data and related information;
(b) stock assessment and scientific research; and 
(c) monitoring, control, surveillance, compliance and enforcement, including training and capacity-building at the local level, development and funding of national and regional observer programmes and access to
technology and equipment. 

Current and historical Strategic Investment Plans

At WCPFC15, the Commission approved the 2018 Strategic Investment Plan as a means to target investment to address the priority needs as identified by developing states, including effective participation.  The Commission agreed that this Plan would be updated annually by the Secretariat for approval by the Commission and that the Secretariat would report to the Commission on implementation of the Strategic Investment Plan each year.

Of direct relevance to Strategic Investment Plan, the Commission in adopting the Finance and Administration Committee Report, also agreed to the following FAC12 outcomes...

"FAC agreed to keep the Special Requirements Fund at a target base level of $150,000, which is equivalent to ~2% of CCM contributions, to support implementation of the Strategic Investment Plan and other needs as identified by developing States Parties, particularly small island developing states, and, where appropriate, territories and possessions. This will be reconsidered, if required, in 2019 to determine if the target base level is sufficient to support ongoing implementation of the Strategic Investment Plan. The Special Requirements Fund will continue to be open to voluntary contributions.

FAC12 agreed to provide funds from existing sources to the SRF from the Working Capital Fund ($90,000), the CNM Contribution Fund ($50,000) and from observer fees ($10,000)." 

Funding options, eligibility and application processes

There are a  range of funding options for developing State Members and Participating Territories to receive assistance.  These include, but are not limited to the following funding sources...

Special Requirements Fund

Pursuant to Article 30 of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean the Commission has established a Special Requirements Fund to facilitate the effective participation of developing States Parties, particularly small island developing States, and, where appropriate, territories and possessions, in the work of the Commission, including its meetings and those of its subsidiary bodies.

Regulation 7 of the Financial Regulations, adopted by the Commission at its Inaugural Session in December 2004, details the purposes of the Special Requirements Fund which include:

• Assisting developing State Parties, small island developing State members of the Commission, and where appropriate, territories and possessions, with human resources development, technical assistance and transfer of technology in relation to conservation and management of highly migratory fish stocks in the Convention Area and development of fisheries for such stocks; and
• Building capacity for activities in key areas such as effective exercise of flag State responsibilities, monitoring, control and surveillance, data collection and scientific research relevant to highly migratory fish stocks on a national and/or regional level.

Drawing from guidance provided in Financial Regulation 7 guidelines for applying for assistance from the Special Requirements Fund have been have been adopted by the Commission [Appendix A of Principles, guidelines and operational procedures for the Commission's Special Requirements Fund.]. Only proposals received in the format described in Appendix A will be considered for support from the Fund.

The Executive Director will notify members of the level of available funds in the Special Requirements Fund during the Annual Session as part of the report on the status of funds. The invitation to access the available funds for any particular period will remain open for as long as funding is available for drawdown in that financial year. Members will be advised if funds reach 50%, and then 25%, of the amount advised as available, or if significant new contributions are received.  The latest notifications on the level of available funds is provided in the list below...

At WCPFC15, the Commission tasked the Secretariat with publishing Special Requirements Fund proposals and project completion reports for SRF projects >$10,000.  These are provided in the list below...

 

Japan Trust Fund (JTF)

This fund was established in 2007 by Japan, with the objective to support capacity building among developing island States in respect to fisheries statistics, regulation and enforcement in the following areas: 
(a) data collection and reporting of their fisheries and associated activities, in particular, those required by WCPFC, and 
(b) establishment of fisheries regulation and its effective enforcement, in particular, the conservation and management measures adopted by WCPFC.

2019 is the first year for the Third Phase of the JTF, which will over the next 5 years place an emphasis on a new fisheries management procedure including harvest strategy and new monitoring technology related projects.

The JTF Steering Committee sits in the margins of the WCPFC Science Committee Meeting and calls for proposals are usually issued in November/December.  The latest call for proposals for the JTF is provided below.

Chinese Taipei Trust Fund (CTTF)

This fund was established by Chinese Taipei following the announcement they made at the WCPFC11 annual regular session in December, 2014 to donate $2 million over 5 years pursuant to Article 30 of the WCPC Convention. The Chinese Taipei Trust Fund has the objective to assist in strengthening capacity building efforts of developing state parties, in particular the Small Island Developing States and participating territories in such activities as monitoring, control and surveillance in accordance with Article 30 and CMM 2013-07 on the special requirements of SIDS and territories.  Some additional details related to this fund and its application process is provided below...

West Pacific East Asia Project

Since 2009 the WCPFC has supported the West Pacific East Asia Project that has provided capacity assistance to Indonesia, Philippines and Viet Nam.  For further information on the project and its activities please refer to this link: https://www.wcpfc.int/wpea

Capacity Development Plan template

The Compliance Monitoring Scheme provides an opportunity to a SIDS or Participating Territory, or Indonesia or the Philippines, if they cannot meet a particular obligation that is being assessed in the Compliance Monitoring Scheme, due to a lack of capacity, that CCM shall provide a Capacity Development Plan to the Secretariat with their draft Compliance Monitoring Report (dCMR), that: 

1. clearly identifies and explains what is preventing that CCM from meeting that obligation; 
2. identifies the capacity assistance needed to allow that CCM to meet that obligation; 
3. estimates the costs and/or technical resources associated with such assistance, including, if possible, funding and technical assistance sources where necessary; 
4. sets out an anticipated timeframe in which, if the identified assistance needs are provided, that CCM will be able to meet that obligation. 

The CCM may work together with the Secretariat to draft the Capacity Development Plan. This plan shall be attached to that CCM’s comments to the dCMR.  A copy of the latest template prepared by the Secretariat is provided below...

WCPFC Capacity Development Plan Template for draft CMR - issued March 2017 (37.95 KB)

CMM 2013-06 template and assessments to date

In December 2013, the Commission agreed to Conservation and Management Measure on the criteria for the consideration of conservation and management proposals (105.56 KB).  CMM 2013-06 sets out a number of questions that the Commission is to apply when considering any new proposal, to determine the nature and extent of the impact of a proposal on small island developing States and Territories in the Convention Area (refer to para 3)).   

Some views from FFA CCMs on the implementation of CMM 2013-06 (CMM Criteria for the Consideration of Conservation and Management Measures), from WCPFC15 (December 2018) can be found here: WCPFC15-2018-DP12_rev1

Copies of past CMM 2013-06 template assessments submitted with draft CMM proposals are provided here. 

Reports by CCMs on implementation of CMM 2013-07

In December 2013, the Commission agreed to Conservation and Management Measure on the special requirements of Small Island Developing States and Territories (239.91 KB).  CMM 2013-07 identifies a number of priority areas related to the recognition of the special requirements of small island developing States and Territories: Capacity Development of Personnel; Technology transfers; Fisheries conservation and management; Monitoring, control and surveillance; Support for the Domestic Fisheries Sector and Tuna-Fisheries Related Businesses and Market Access.  Each year CCMs are required to provide an annual report on the implemementation of CMM 2013-07, and this report is to be included in Annual Report Part 2.  

The reports received from CCMs are presently being compiled, for inclusion in the below list