July 28, 1997 - A REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECENT INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES AGREEMENTS IN THE REGION WILL BE THOROUGHLY EXAMINED AT A WEEK LONG WORKSHOP WHICH OPENED ON MONDAY JULY 29, 1997.

THE REPORT WHICH WAS PREPARED FOR OECS GOVERNMENTS BY THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO), WILL BE DEALT WITH AT LENGTH WHEN FISHERIES EXPERTS FROM THE CARIBBEAN REGION MEET FROM JULY 28 TO AUGUST 1, 1997 IN ST. LUCIA. THE REPORT IS THE RESULT OF AN FAO'S MISSION TO THE OECS AND IT FOCUSES ON AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE CONSERVATION OF STRADDLING FISH STOCKS AND HIGHLY MIGRATORY FISH STOCKS; AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF FISHING VESSELS IN HIGH SEAS.

THE OTHER MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP ARE TO DISCUSS THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE OECS MEMBER STATES, AND TO IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGENCIES TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENTS.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS IS SEEN AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE OECS. AND TO THIS END THE NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT UNIT (NRMU) PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO THE OECS MEMBER STATES THROUGH ITS FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.

PARTICIPANTS WILL BE DRAWN FROM FISHERIES AND LEGAL PERSONNEL FROM ALL MEMBER STATES OF THE OECS AND BARBADOS, TECHNICAL STAFF OF THE OECS-NRMU, AND THE FAO. OTHER CARICOM COUNTRIES INCLUDING TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, JAMIACA AND BELIZE ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE.

THE WORKSHOP WAS HELD AT THE CARIBEES HOTEL.

FAO REGIONAL WORKSHOP

OVER 15 PARTICIPANTS FROM AROUND THE REGION, AS WELL AS OFFICIALS FROM THE ROME OFFICE OF THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO) ASSEMBLED AT THE CARIBEES HOTEL TODAY, TO DISCUSS ISSUES PERTINENT TO THE 1993 FAO COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT AND THE 1995 UN FISH STOCKS AGREEMENT.

THE WORKSHOP WHICH IS EXPECTED TO END ON AUGUST 1, MARKS THE THIRD PHASE OF THE PROCESS OF HARMONIZATION OF FISHERIES LAW AMONG MEMBERS OF THE OECS WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE FAO AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF NORWAY. THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROCESS EMBODIED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FIRST DRAFT OF AN OECS HARMONIZED FISHERIES ACT AND REGULATIONS WHICH CAME TO PASS IN THE EARLY 1980'S. DR. VASANTHA CHASE EXPLAINS SOME OF THE PARAMETERS WITHIN WHICH THE WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD.

THE ORGANISATION OF EASTERN STATES HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE COMING INTO FORCE OF THESE AGREEMENTS GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF FISHERIES RESOURCES TO THESE MEMBER STATES. WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES, THE LACK OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE AGREEMENTS, COULD VERY WELL LEAD TO A COLLAPSE IN HIGH SEAS FISH STOCKS IN GENERAL. A COMMON OECS APPROACH WOULD ENSURE THAT MANAGEMENT CONTROLS OVER THE LEVEL OF EXPLOITATION OF THE FISHERIES RESOURCES ARE MAINTAINED AND THAT MEMBER STATES WILL BE COMPENSATED FOR RESOURCES HARVESTED IN THEIR WATERS, IN A FORM APPROPRIATE TO THEM.

FAO'S LEGAL OFFICER WILLIAM EDESON EMPHASIZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TIMELY UNDERTAKING AND GAVE HIGH MARKS TO THE OECS FOR ITS ACHIEVEMENT IN THE AREA OF HARMONIZED LEGISLATION FOR THE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF ITS FISH STOCKS.

IT IS EXPECTED, THAT AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP, THERE WILL BE AN ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT LAW AS IT PERTAINS TO THE 1993 FAO COMPLIANCE AGREEMENT AND THE 1995 UN FISH STOCKS AGREEMENT.