The 2026 Conservation and Enforcement Measures (CEM) adopted by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) establish a regulatory framework governing fisheries activities in the NAFO Regulatory Area. The instrument sets out definitions, scope and obligations of Contracting Parties, and provides conservation and management rules, including catch and effort limitations, quota allocations, bycatch restrictions, minimum fish sizes, and gear requirements. Specific provisions regulate key stocks such as cod, shrimp, Greenland halibut and American plaice, alongside measures for fisheries closures, quota transfers, and rebuilding strategies based on precautionary reference points. The CEM also incorporates annual amendments adopted by the NAFO Commission and provides technical annexes detailing quotas, reporting formats, species lists and operational standards. In addition, the instrument establishes an extensive monitoring, control and enforcement system to ensure compliance. It includes requirements for vessel authorization, logbooks, catch reporting, and vessel monitoring systems (VMS), as well as an observer programme and electronic monitoring provisions. Enforcement mechanisms cover at-sea inspection, port State control, and procedures for addressing infringements, including serious violations and sanctions. The measures further provide rules for the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems, including spatial closures, restrictions on bottom fishing, and procedures for exploratory fisheries. Finally, the framework addresses non-contracting party vessels and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing through listing mechanisms and coordinated preventive measures.
2026-01-01