FISHING OPERATION PLAN OF THE EUROPEAN UNION SUBMITTED TO NPFC

This document lays out the revised Fishing Operation Plan (FOP) submitted by the EU to the North Pacific
Fisheries Commission by letter dated 30 January 2020 together with the the EU’s request to accede to the
Convention on the Conservation and Management of the High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific
Ocean. The FOP set out in more detail the EU’s proposed plan to fish for Chub mackerel in the NPFC
Convention area and the accompanying Impact Assessment, in support of its application to be invited to
accede to the Convention at the Commission’s sixth annual session.

Although the Commission was unable to reach consensus on the EU’s request at that meeting, it was noted
in the final meeting report (NPFC-2019-COM05-Final Report) that the EU had provided all the requested
information. The Commission invited the EU to submit an application for accession to the Commission prior
to its subsequent annual meeting, along with information requested by some Members. Although that session
was due to be held in 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic it was postponed to 18-25 February 2021
and took take place in virtual format.

The EU acceded officially to the Convention in March 2022 and at the 7th Scientific Committee meeting, 6th
TCC meeting and 7th Commission meeting (COM7) in 2023, a revised EU FOP was submitted again
including most recent scientific information available and taking into account comments and suggestions
made during previous SC, TCC and Commission meetings.

In the absence of successful outcome at COM7, despite its longstanding and continuous efforts to
accommodate the concerns expressed by some NPFC Members, the EU is re-submitting to TCC7 and COM8
the FOP that was submitted to TCC6/COM7, noting that bilateral consultations are still ongoing that might
result in the revision of the EU FOP ahead of or, at TCC7 or, COM8.