NPFC continues to strengthen ties with regional and global organizations 5 September 2024

On 5 September 2024, the NPFC Chair, Mr. Shingo OTA, signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean (ISC). NPFC Members have been committed to strengthening cooperation with several regional and global organizations. The agreements and work plans are available on the NPFC website under Cooperation with other Organizations.

These new arrangements will benefit the NPFC by facilitating, where appropriate, consultation, cooperation, and collaboration between the bodies, including exchange of reports, data and scientific information, cooperation on research effort, sharing best practices, considering methods of supporting conservation and management measures, and exchange of expertise gained, and lessons learned.

Background: Earlier examples of this cooperation include the Fisheries and Resources Monitoring System (FIRMS) of the Food and Aquaculture Organization (FAO), the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC), the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO), and the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES).

The NPFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2023 with the SPRFMO. Similar to the MOU signed with ISC and WCPFC, it will facilitate, where appropriate, consultation, cooperation, and collaboration between the RFMOs.

Also in 2023, the NPFC entered into a Partnership Arrangement with the FIRMS which establishes a framework for developing, sharing and maintaining services for the collation, management and dissemination of information on marine living resources and fisheries in the North Pacific Ocean. 

Following the establishment in 2019 of the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between NPFC and NPAFC, the two Commissions developed a five-year work plan in 2023 to implement the MOC. The work plan addresses the key areas of mutual interest, such as (1) Exchange of data and information; (2) Collaboration on research efforts relating to stocks and species of mutual interest, and (3) Implementation of conservation and management measures for stocks and species of mutual interest.

In 2019, the NPFC and PICES endorsed the Framework for Enhanced Scientific Collaboration in the North Pacific. The Framework identified three major areas of mutual interest that were to be a focus during the first 5 years, to 2024: (i) support for stock assessment for priority species (ii) vulnerable marine ecosystems and (iii) ecosystem approach to fisheries. The Framework is currently being revised for consideration by Members of both organizations.