Kobe Process

Purpose

The joint tuna regional fisheries management organization process, also known as the Kobe process, of which Canada is an active participant, seeks to harmonize the activities of the five tuna regional fisheries management organizations. It is an opportunity for Canada, being a member to three of those organizations (the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commissionand the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas), to play an instrumental role in assisting tuna regional fisheries management organizations move towards a more consistent, sustainable and science-based management approach that will ensure the sustainability of tuna fisheries for future generations.

There have been two joint meetings of the five tuna regional fisheries management organizations so far as well as a series of workshops. Below is a description of the results and recommendations of this initiative.

First joint meeting – Kobe I

The first joint meeting of tuna regional fisheries management organizations was held in Kobe, Japan in January 2007. This meeting resulted in an agreed upon Course of Actions.

Canada has been particularly engaged in the advancement of several key elements of the Kobe Course of Actions, such as:

• Effective management measures (both for successful rebuilding of depleted stocks, healthy stocks and yet to be managed stocks) that adhere to the best scientific advice provided;
• Capacity control measures to ensure a State’s fishing capacity is commensurate with the State’s quota (fishing opportunity);
• Strengthening the monitoring, control and surveillance measures within the tuna regional fisheries management organizations and ensuring compliance with existing measures, for example that all tuna harvesters report their catches to the regional fisheries management organizations responsible for management and scientific study;
• The development of common criteria for performance reviews of regional fisheries management organizations and best practices as one tool to guide the strengthening of these organizations; and
• Effective communication among tuna regional fisheries management organizations

Second joint meeting – Kobe II

In April 2009, the second joint meeting of tuna regional fisheries management organizations, known as Kobe II, was held in San Sebastian, Spain to consider the progress made to date in implementing the Course of Actions. From Canada’s perspective, Kobe II was a very productive meeting, resulting in a number of concrete recommended actions for implementation within the tuna regional fisheries management organizations, including:

• the establishment of a global Register of active tuna vessels;
• implementation of robust compliance review mechanisms;
• improvements to the provision of scientific advice to clearly articulate risk and uncertainty to decision-makers (Canada co-sponsored a proposal in this regard)
• improved management measures for sharks;
• unique vessel identifiers; and
• harmonization of illegal, unreported and unregulated vessel lists between the five tuna regional fisheries management organizations.

Agreement was also reached on a series of technical workshops to be held in advance of the third joint meeting of tuna regional fisheries management organizations. These workshops were held in June and July 2010, in Barcelona, Spain and Brisbane, Australia and produced over 100 science, management, bycatch and monitoring control and surveillance recommendations.

Third joint meeting – Kobe III

In July 2011, the third joint meeting of tuna regional fisheries management organizations, known as Kobe III, was held in La Jolla, California in the United States. Canada has participated on a Steering Committee to prepare for the event and played a leadership role in developing an agenda that emphasizes the need for concrete and achievable actions, such as:

• Data sharing across regional fisheries management organizations for scientific and compliance purposes;
• The establishment of Decision-Making Guidelines that would, among others, direct regional fisheries management organizations in their management and conservation measures;
• The creation of a harmonized Illegal Unreported and Unregulated vessel list to facilitate enforcement;
• Standardized report cards on data submission to track Parties’ compliance with their obligations;
• The implementation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Agreement on PortState Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing;
• The implementation of catch documentation schemes for various fish stocks; and
• The creation of a global list of authorized active tuna vessels to be examined with the intent to eliminate double-counting when vessels are active in several convention areas.

The result was a series of targeted recommendations in key areas of by-catch, coordinated scientific efforts, reduced capacity, decision-making guidelines, and compliance and enforcement. 

As a way forward, members agreed to the formation of a Steering Committee to continue the important work of the Kobe Process. This Committee will be comprised of Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Executive Directors/Secretaries from each of the five tuna Commissions. The Committee will meet regularly to explore the potential for harmonization or coordination of science, management, and compliance and enforcement measures between regional fisheries management organizations. The Committee will also be responsible for advancing these recommendations with the various regional fisheries management organizations for consideration and implementation.

Read more about the Kobe process