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Oceans and fisheries
News announcement25 February 2021Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

EU to become a member of the North Pacific Fisheries Commission

The European Union’s request to accede to the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC) was accepted at its sixth annual session, which closed on Thursday 25 February 2021.

Membership of the NPFC will enable EU vessels to fish in the North Pacific Ocean. In particular, EU operators that already fish further south within the area of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Commission (SPRFMO) will be able to extend their operations to the NPFC Convention area, thereby increasing operational flexibility and achieving economies of scale. Significant species in the NPFC Convention Area include small pelagics such as Pacific saury, chub mackerel and Japanese sardine, as well as neon flying squid and Japanese flying squid.

The EU joins the NPFC’s existing membership of Canada, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, Taiwan, United States of America, and Vanuatu. As a member, the EU will strive to support the NPFC’s work to ensure the long-term sustainable fisheries resources in the North Pacific Ocean. The EU will contribute its expertise in fisheries science and fisheries management, as well as bring its extensive experience of cooperation within other regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) and regional fisheries bodies (RFBs) around the globe.

Details

Publication date
25 February 2021
Author
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries