The first meeting of the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) has been held in Melbourne, Australia.
The SIOFA is a non-tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) which entered into force in 2012, completing the coverage of RFMOs in the Indian Ocean.
During the meeting the parties agreed on a process to introduce urgent conservation and management measures to implement the UNGA resolutions on deep water fisheries and the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems. The Parties also agreed on the establishment of a Scientific Committee and the development of rules of procedure.
The inter-sessional work will include a scientific work plan and financial rules related to compliance, in particular IUU fishing. The final decision on the location, size and structure of the Secretariat will be taken at the next meeting in Mauritius in March 2015.
The present members of the SIOFA are Australia, the Cook Islands, the EU, France, Mauritius and the Seychelles.
