Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement

Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) is an international fisheries agreement between several nations signed in Rome on 7 July 2006 and entered into force on 21 June 2012.[1] The purpose of the agreement is to ensure and promote the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the area through cooperation among the member states.

Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement
AbbreviationSIOFA
Formation21 June 2012 (12 years ago) (2012-06-21)
TypeIntergovernmental organization
PurposeFisheries management
HeadquartersRéunion
Area served
Indian Ocean
Membership
10 Contracting Parties
Executive Secretary
Jon Lansley
Websitewww.siofa.org

Treaty area

edit

The agreement area covers the high seas between eastern Africa and Western Australia.[2] SIOFA is adjacent to the convention area of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in the south, the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) convention area in the east and the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO) convention area to the west.[2]

SIOFA covers fishery resources including fish, mollusks, crustaceans and other sedentary species within the area, though excludes highly migratory species and sedentary species subject to the fishery jurisdiction of coastal States. SIOFA also manages valuable fisheries, including for orange roughy, alfonsino and toothfish.[2]

Signatories

edit

As of July 2019, the treaty has been ratified by 10 states.[3][4] In addition, 5 countries have signed but not ratified the treaty.

The agreement has been ratified by Signed but not ratified by
  Australia   Comoros
  Cook Islands   Kenya
  European Union   Madagascar
  France (for its Indian Ocean territories)   Mozambique
  Japan   New Zealand
  South Korea
  Mauritius
  Seychelles
  Thailand
  Republic of China (Chinese Taipei)

Secretariat

edit

The Secretariat is based on the French Island of Réunion. The current Executive Secretary is Thierry Clot.[5]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)". www.siofa.org. SIOFA.
  2. ^ a b c Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement
  3. ^ "Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) | SIOFA". www.siofa.org. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  4. ^ News Agency, Central. "Taiwan joins Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement". www.taiwannews.com.tw. Taiwan News. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Contact - SIOFA". www.siofa.org. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
edit