This Conservation and Management Measure of the Meeting of the Parties to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement adopts the following Conservation and Management Measures (CMM) in accordance with Article 4 and 6 of the Agreement. This CMM applies to all fishing vessels of Contracting Parties, cooperating non-Contracting Parties (CNCPs) and participating fishing entities (PFEs) to the Agreement (collectively CCPs), engaged in fishing operations in the SIOFA Area of Application. CCPs shall ensure that fishing vessels flying their flag do not target any deep-sea shark species listed in Annex 1 within the Agreement Area, until the Scientific Committee defines and the Meeting of the Parties agrees on possible appropriate fishing mortality and harvest levels for any of these species. CCPs shall ensure that fishing vessels flying their flag record and submit all reporting requirements as per CMM 2019/02 (Data Standards) for all deep-sea sharks to the lowest taxonomical level possible when caught in SIOFA fisheries. By 2020 the Scientific Committee shall advise the Meeting of the Parties on the need to adopt any appropriate by-catch limits for relevant SIOFA deep sea shark species and fleets, including on scientific and data needs for underpinning the elaboration of such advice. CCPs shall, where possible, undertake research to identify ways to make all relevant fishing gears more selective to minimise deep sea shark by-catch and shall provide relevant information to the Scientific Committee. CCPs shall, where possible, conduct research to identify shark nursery areas in the Agreement Area and provide relevant information to the Scientific Committee. This CMM shall be reviewed by the Scientific Committee and the Compliance Committee, unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise.
2019-01-01