Secretariat - Legal advisory consultant

This issue was initially raised through the 2018 NPFC budget and later in NPFC Circular #33/2018 although it does not seem to have been actioned since then. In the meantime, the Secretariat has made use of ad hoc and small contracts to seek international oceans law advice, but this has not been contracted as a regular service to Members and the Secretariat. One concern that a Member at the time raised was that the role was not clearly articulated and could not assess domestic laws. This paper attempts to identify the role and clarify that it is advice pertaining to the operation of the Commission and not the responsibilities of individual Members pertaining to their domestic legal arrangements. 

The consultant would provide legal advice to the Commission Chair, Chairs of the Commission subsidiary bodies, Commission members and the Secretariat as needed. The Legal Advisor is responsible for interpretation and application of the NPFC Convention, conservation and management measures, resolutions and decisions of the Commission. In addition, the Legal Advisor is responsible for the interpretation and application of the UNCLOS, UNFSA, and other relevant international and regional legal instruments pertaining to the conservation and management of highly migratory fish stocks.

The consultant can work remotely and would be on an “as-needed” basis but must be available to attend the Technical and Compliance Committee meeting and the Commission meeting.