Small Working Group on Operations Presents Proposed Amendments to CMM 2023-09 on HSBI for TCC Consideration

Small Working Group on Operations Presents Proposed Amendments for TCC Consideration:

1. Amendments to the Conservation and Management Measure For High Seas Boarding and Inspection
Procedures For the North Pacific Fisheries Commission to require provision of safe boarding ladders:

Rationale
During SWG Operations meetings, Members were invited to share updates on recent HSBI activities.
Through these discussions, Members noted that boarding ladder safety continued to be a concern and
inspectors could face risk of serious injury if the provision of a safe and secure ladder was not mandatory.
Members agreed to amend the HSBI measure to ensure 1) that the provision of a safe ladder was
compelled through sub-paragraph 26(c) and 2) that the Boarding Ladder Guidelines in Annex A reflect that
the requirements of a safe boarding ladder were guidance and not prescriptive obligations.

2. Amendments to the Conservation and Management Measure For High Seas Boarding and Inspection
Procedures For the North Pacific Fisheries Commission to reflect the adoption of an NPFC inspection
flag:

Rationale
During the February 29th, 2024 SWG Operations meeting, the Secretariat proposed an amendment to
paragraph 19 of the HSBI CMM to remove language referring to the future development of an NPFC flag
and update this paragraph to reflect the adoption of, and current use of the HSBI flag and pennant.
It was noted that paragraph 19 should include a reference to diagrams of the flag and pennant and it was
agreed that those items could be included as an annex. Currently, the specifications of the flag and
pennant are included in the HSBI Implementation Plan.
Proposed amendments are in blue below: