Mandate:   - Resolution of the Council concerning the mandate of the Fisheries Committee

   [C(2008)193/REV1] adopted at its 1185th session on 4 December 2008

   [C/M(2008)21, item 304]

 

 

 

Resolution of the Council [C(2008)193/REV1 and C/M(2008)21, item 304]

 

 

   “THE COUNCIL,

 

   Having regard to the Convention on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 14 December 1960;

 

   Having regard to the Rules of Procedure of the Organisation;

 

   Having regard to paragraphs 21, 24 and 89 of the Report of the Preparatory Committee creating the fisheries Committee as of 30th September 1961;

 

   Having regard to Decision of Council regarding a Sunset Clause for all Committees [C/M(2004)5, item 75] which entered into force on 22 April 2004 [C/M(2004)10, Item 143, IV, c)];

 

   Having regard to the recommendation of the In-depth Evaluation of the Fisheries Committee [C(2008)80 and CORR1], approved by the Council at its 1179th Session on 17th July 2008 [C/M(2008)15, item 172];

 

   Having regard to the proposal to revise the mandate of the Fisheries Committee [C(2008)193/REV1];

 

   DECIDES:

 

A.   The mandate of the Fisheries is as follows:

 

I.   Objectives

 

   The overarching policy objective of the Fisheries Committee is to use the specific strengths of the OECD to help promote well-managed, efficient and resilient fisheries and aquaculture that contribute to healthy ecosystems, while supporting sustainable livelihoods and communities, as well as to contribute to responsible trade and consumption.

 

Specifically, the Committee is mandated to achieve this outcome through:

 

   -   Helping OECD countries to identify needs, options and implementation advice for improved domestic fisheries and aquaculture policy – through effective monitoring, analysis and discussion of policy gaps, options and tradeoffs, and lessons from best practice;

 

   -   Improving the analytical foundations of international fisheries and aquaculture policy debate and agenda-setting by providing policy analysis and advice, especially on emerging issues, especially with a view to help develop consensus on sound management practices; and;

 

   -   Enriching OECD priorities and debate on cross-cutting issues by adding perspectives of management challenges in a global, common-property and natural renewable resource to ensure that OECD wide policy advice is relevant to all economic sectors;

 

   These objectives will be achieved through: collection, assessment and dissemination of key data; monitoring and analysis of structural, economic and policy developments throughout the supply chain (from fisher/producer to consumer), and of the implications for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and policies; policy dialogue and the provision of advice and recommendations; and outreach activities to ensure that the Committee is both open to diverse points of view and to maximize the impact of its work (see Appendix).

 

 

II.   Co-ordination

 

   To fulfil its mandate the Committee will, as appropriate, coordinate its activities with other bodies within the Organisation, and with other international organisations (in particular the FAO, the WTO, the World Bank and regional organisations, as appropriate), and undertake dialogue with fisheries stakeholders, including industry and non-governmental organisations.

 

B.   The mandate of the Fisheries Committee shall remain in force until 31 December 2013 unless the Council decides otherwise.

 

 

APPENDIX

 

   The Committee will ensure high-quality economic analysis, policy advice and an understanding of best practice, to enable wise management, good governance and sound commercial arrangements of fisheries. The Committee will provide a forum for the discussion of issues related to all aspects of fisheries and aquaculture developments and policies, with a view to promoting mutual understanding of these developments – the expected outcome of which is to enable wise management, good governance and sound commercial arrangements of fisheries and aquaculture, at both the domestic and the international level.

 

Context

 

   The activities of the Committee are guided by the following context, which describes the environment in which the mandate of the Committee is anchored:

 

   -   The strength of the OECD in economic analysis, and its emphasis on economic efficiency as an important benchmark for analysis of domestic and international policy questions and options, including to ensure fisheries sustainability;

 

   -   The importance of fisheries sustainability and healthy marine ecosystems to economic and social wellbeing, and the need to both ensure recovery of stocks that are already depleted or over fished and address emerging threats to sustainability;

 

   -   The interconnectedness of the fisheries sector with other sectors and the international economy (i.e., through trade, investment, services, labour, technology and environmental policies), and the implications of these linkages for managing opportunities and risks for fisheries;

 

   -   The importance of efficient and effective conservation and management policies and international cooperation to sustain a common property resource such as fisheries, complemented by the role of market-based approaches and responsible trade in aligning incentives coherently;

 

   -   Due regard to the mandate of other OECD committees whose work has implications for fisheries, cross-cutting OECD issues, and other international bodies addressing fishery-related issues, and the specific strength of the Committee in economic and policy analysis in complementing this work;

 

   -   The special and diverse challenges to fisheries posed by emerging issues such as globalisation and responsible trade. This includes the need for policy coherence in helping address the sustainable development needs and aspirations of non-OECD Members, especially developing countries;

 

   -   The dynamic nature of both the fisheries and OECD-wide policy agenda, and the need for the Committee to be alert, and able to respond, to new developments and policy priorities affecting its work.

 

 

Activities

 

   The Committee’s mandate frames the development and delivery of a programme of work and budget consistent with OECD planning parameters which addresses current and emerging issues in the fisheries sector:

 

   -   Collection, integration, assessment and dissemination of key national and international fisheries statistics and policy analysis;

 

   -   Monitoring of current and emerging OECD and global trends, issues and policy developments relevant to the fisheries sector, with a view to identifying policy issues benefiting from in-depth analysis at the OECD;

 

   -   In-depth analysis of key current and emerging fisheries-related economic and policy issues, to better understand their nature and identify possible remedies at both the domestic and global level;

 

   -   Policy dialogue to explore benefits and costs of policy options, promote lessons learned from across OECD Members, seek agreement on policy principles and recommend ways forward to improve the sustainability and efficiency of the fisheries sector;

 

   -   Development and dissemination of policy advice, recommendations and best practice to help inform OECD Members and non-Members regarding domestic and international fisheries issues;

 

   -   Outreach activities that will demonstrate openness to diverse views in informing the Committee’s activities, transparency about Committee activities, broaden the knowledge base for OECD Members and non-Members, and maximize the policy impact of the Committee’s work; and

 

   -   A proactive communications strategy to ensure the widespread dissemination and maximum and long-lasting influence of the Committee’s work among OECD Members, non-Members, within the OECD Secretariat, and in other relevant international bodies.

 

Monitoring

 

   The Committee will periodically review its work, working methods and outcomes using, as appropriate, generic performance measures. These will be assessed in relation to its mandate and specific work deliverables, as enumerated in the Organisation’s Programme of Work and Budget. The Committee will report to the Organisation, as required. The Committee will review its mandate on a regular basis in light of emerging developments and issues.”