Convention on the conservation and management of fishery resources in the South-East Atlantic Ocean

The objective of the present Convention is to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the area hereby covered. The latter is delimited by article 4: all waters beyond areas of national jurisdiction of the Contracting Parties are bounded by a line joining the points referred therein along parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude. To give effect to this Convention, the Parties shall in particular: (a) adopt appropriate measures to ensure the long-term conservation as well as the sustainable use of fishery resources; (b) take into due account the impact of fishing activities on ecologically related species (such as seabirds, cetaceans, seals and marine turtles); (c) adopt, if necessary, conservation and management measures for species which belong to the same ecosystem as the harvested fishery resources; (d) protect biodiversity in the marine environment. Such measures shall be undertaken in accordance with the precautionary principle, the application of which is described under article 7. To guarantee the optimal implementation of these provisions, article 5 provides for the establishment of the South-East Atlantic Fisheries Organization, which shall consist of: (a) the Commission (art. 6); (b) the Compliance Committee (art. 9); (c) the Scientific Committee (art. 10); the Secretariat (art. 11). Article 13 lays down Contracting Parties’ obligations, giving particular regard to the duty to provide with information and reports to the Organization and to exchange information and data. Further duties regard vessels flying their flags as well as ports. Article 16 provides for the setting up of a system which is intended to ensure the compliance with this Convention trough observation and inspection. Article 24 regulates dispute settlement mechanisms to be applied whenever a controversy arises, as regards the interpretation or application of the Convention.