Press Release: Date: 10 October 2009

Swakopmund, Namibia -The South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation held its sixth Annual Meeting from the 6^{th to the 10th of October, 2009. The meeting focused on continuing to strenthen its fisheries management regime, protect vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) and the establishment of a Special Requirements fund.}

Based on recommendations by the SEAFO Scientific Committee, SEAFO approved a precautionary reduction in the catch of Patagonian toothfish from 260 to 200 tons and for orange roughy from 100 to 50 tons. Quotas for Alfonsino and deep sea red crab remain at 200 and 400 tons respectively.

Noting that the United Nations General Assembly has caJ1ed on action to address the issue of ghost fishing or lost fishing gear, SEAFO has closed its Convention Area to all gillnet fishing. Gillnets are important contributors abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear. This measure will protect marine life in the international waters of the South East Atlantic against effects of ghost fishing.

In response to UN calls for protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) against the effects of Bottom Fishing, SEAFO has further reduced threshold levels defining encounters with VMEs, so that precautionary action kicks in at an earlier stage. SEAFO further has tasked its Scientific Committee to develop further measures specifically aimed at fishing activities and habitats typical to SEAFO.

SEAFO is in the process of establishing officially mapped areas in the SEAFO Convention Area where bottom fishing has historically occurred. This "footprint" distinguishes between existing and new fishing areas. In addition, further work has been tasked to gather all available data to allow scientists better to predict where VMEs may occur. This reconfirms SEAFO's commitment to protect vulnerable marine habitats and species.

In response to international calls for Regional Fisheries Management Organisations to undertake performance reviews, SEAFO has agreed upon terms of reference, assessment criteria and composition of a panel to review the functioning of the Organization. The panel will consist of two external experts and two internal experts. The panel will undertake its work intersessionally and report back to SEAFO before the Annual Meeting in 2010.

For external experts, SEAFO will issue invitations to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). In addition two SEAFO Contracting Parties will have experts represented. The panel will be chaired by the expert nominated by the FAO. The Executive Secretary of SEAFO will act as facilitator and assist in drafting of the report.

In response to international calls for aid to developing countries to fulfil their obligations for cooperation under SEAFO and under the Law of the Sea, SEAFO has agreed to establish a Special Requirements fund to assist developing State Party members of the Organisation. The fund will assist developing State Party members to participate in the Organisation and to enhance their ability to conserve and manage the fisherires resources.

SEAFO was established in March 2004 after the entry into force of the SEAFO Convention in 2003. Angola, the European Community, Namibia, Norway and South Africa are currently members. SEAFO reaffirms its calls on other states, particularly those that have vessels currently fishing in the Convention Area, to join the Organisation as a matter of priority.

For further details, please contact Ben van Zyl, Executive Secretary of SEAFO, email info@seafo.org; mobile +264811220059

Press Release: Date: 09 October 2008

At its 5th Annual Meeting that took place on 6-9 October in Windhoek, Namibia, SEAFO Fisheries Commission adopted Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for the first time of orange roughy and alfonsino in the high seas of South East Atlantic waters. Based on the recommendations of SEAFO Scientific Committee, the Fisheries Commission approved a precautionary TAC for orange roughy of 100 metric tons and 200 metric tons for alfonsino for 2009 fishing season. The TACs for deep sea red crab and for the Patagonian for 2009 remain at 400 tons and 260 tons respectively. These actions were necessitated by the concerns on the sustainability of the current fisheries. As part oflnternational Plan of Action to protect sharks, SEAFO Fisheries Commission banned shark directed fisheries in high seas of South East Atlantic waters.

Press Release: Date: 10 October 2007

SEAFO Takes Major Initiatives to Manage the Fisheries in South East Atlantic Waters

At its 4th Annual Meeting on 10 October in Windhoek, Namibia, SEAFO adopted measures for the first time to limit catches for deep sea red crab and Patagonian toothfish in South East Atlantic waters, in accordance with the advice and recommendations of the Scientific Committee. These actions were necessitated by the concerns on the sustainability of the current fisheries and of the potential negative impacts on the vulnerable marine habitats.

During the said meeting, SEAFO has established a Compliance Committee to advise the Commission on compliance issues. Further the Commission has adopted a measure to ensure that IUU fishing in the whole of Atlantic Ocean is minimised. In so doing, the Commission has adopted a measure to list IUU vessels that are in the IUU lists of Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and the Commission for the Conservation of the Antarctic Living Marine Resources (CCAMLR).

SEAFO further established more stringent port State measures, based on standards set forth in the FAO Model Scheme.

SEAFO called on other parties, notably Japan and Republic of Korea, currently fishing in the area, to join the Organisation and accept responsibility and costs, thereby balancing the benefits they draw from their fisheries in the area.

SEAFO was established in March 2004 after the entry into force of the Convention in April 2003. Angola, European Union, Namibia and Norway are currently Members.

For further details, please contact Hashali Hamukuaya, Executive Secretary: Email info@seafo.org, tel. +264-64-220387, fax +264-64-220389, mobile +264-811278295.

PRESS RELEASE - DATE: 5 OCT 2006

SEAFO Takes Major Initiative To Protect Vulnerable Sea Habitats in South East Atlantic Waters

SEAFO adopted at its 3rd Annual Meeting on 4 October in Windhoek, Namibia, urgent measures to prohibit until 2010 fishing activities in 10 marine areas with prominent seamounts. These areas have in the past been subject to little or no fishing activity.

This action was taken to protect these habitats pending experimental fisheries research activities which may be authorised next year by SEAFO on a limited scale. This action responds to international concerns on the threats to sensitive marine eco-systems throughout the oceans. Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) have been called upon in recent months to take such action and this SEAFO action is a concrete reaction to these pressing demands.

For monitoring fishing activities, all vessels since 2006 that are fishing in the SEAFO Area must have scientific observers on board and report their positions though VMS signals.

In pursuing its vigorous policy to ensure sustainable responsible fisheries in the waters of the South East Atlantic and with SEAFO implementing an eco-system approach, it agreed the following conservation measures;

• To ban transhipments at sea in order to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fisheries (IUU). It also adopted procedures to identify and blacklist IUU vessels;
• To control and monitor the fisheries though the establishment of a record of vessels, placement of scientific observers, VMS and catch reporting requirements;
• To reduce incidental mortality of seabirds, especially petrels and albatrosses, by fishing gear adjustments and other technical measures during fishing operations;
• To prohibit the “shark finning” practice whereby vessels cut the valuable shark fins off and retain them on board while discarding the carcass of the shark;
• To reduce incidental mortality of sea turtles in fishing operations, notably by promptly releasing turtles entangled in fishing gear;

SEAFO called on other parties, notably Japan and Russia, currently fishing in the SEAFO area, to join the organisation and accept the responsibilities and costs, thereby balancing the benefits they draw from their fisheries in the area.

SEAFO was established in March 2004 after the entry into force of the Convention in April 2003. Angola, European Union, Namibia and Norway are currently Members. It is expected South Africa will join in 2007 once its ratification procedures are completed.

John Spencer (EU) has been Chairperson of SEAFO since 2004.

For further details, please contact Hashali Hamukuaya, Executive Secretary, by e-mail info@seafo.org or telephone 00 264 64 220387 or mobile: +264-811278295.

PRESS RELEASE- Date: 5 October 2005

Major Progress made at the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Commission of the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO)

On 3-5 October, the Commission for South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO) held its Annual Meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, to deliberate on various conservation and management issues in relation to fisheries resources. The four SEAFO Contracting Parties – Angola, European Union, Namibia and Norway – participated in this meeting, as well as representatives of Japan, South Africa, UK (on behalf of St Helena and its dependencies of Tristan da Cunha and Ascension Islands) and USA. It was noted that some of these states were in the final stages of joining the Commission. There were also observers from the BCLME Program, BENEFIT Program, SADC and FAO.

The Commission meeting was preceded by the first meeting of the SEAFO Scientific Committee from 28-30 September. Scientific Committee identified the main priorities for its future work on the resources in the SEAFO area and underlined the current paucity of information on catch levels and vessels presence in the area. To address these weaknesses, the Scientific Committee made a number of recommendations to the Commission.

Taking account of these recommendations, the Commission, Chaired by John Spencer (EU) decided on a number of conservation measures, most notably;

• the obligation for vessels fishing in the SEAFO area to have scientific observers on board in order to provide the required catch and biological data on the stocks
• the introduction of an automatic satellite vessel monitoring system for all vessels fishing in SEAFO area
• an interim Port State inspection scheme that would require Port States to inspect foreign fishing vessels, and transmit information and results to SEAFO Secretariat.

The Commission expressed concern on the lack of information available on the activities of vessels from non Parties fishing in SEAFO area. Such unregulated and unreported activities risked undermining the status of the resources in the area. It called on all such non Parties, firstly to become a member of SEAFO, and secondly, to supply full information on current and historical fisheries by their vessels in the SEAFO area.

The 2006 Annual Meeting will take place from 2-5 October in Windhoek, Namibia, preceded by the Scientific Committee from 27-29 September.

PRESS RELEASE - Date: 30 September 2005

A Norwegian Fisheries Scientist has been elected Chairperson of SEAFO Scientific Committee

The Meeting of Scientific Committee of SEAFO which is convened at Windhoek Country Club and Resort has elected Dr. Reidar Toresen (reidar.toresen@imr.no) as its first Chairperson. Dr. Toresen is a Norwegian national with extensive experiences in fisheries sciences and fisheries management having worked on the assessments of fish stocks in North East Atlantic since 1983. He is the Head of Research Group at the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway with special responsibility to advice on the management of large migratory fish stocks such as herring and mackerel. He represents Norway at the International Council of the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Advisory Committee for fisheries management. Dr. Toresen has also participated in fishery resources surveys in Namibia, Mauritania and Senegal through the Nansen Program.

The Report of the Scientific Committee is available on this website, under the Scientific Committee menu.