NPFC strengthens ties with regional and global organizations

The NPFC has been strengthening cooperation with several regional and global organizations including 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), 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).

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 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.

The NPFC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2023 with the SPRFMO. The MoU aims at facilitating, where appropriate, consultation, cooperation, and collaboration between the RFMOs, 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.

The NPFC is currently in the process of considering MoUs with WCPFC and ISC.

The agreements and work plans are available on the NPFC website under Cooperation with other Organizations.