Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ROME3413
2003-07-28 11:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

THIRD AD HOC MEETING OF IGO'S ON WORK PROGRAMS

Tags:  ETRD EFIS SENV FAO 
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UNCLAS ROME 003413 

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

DEPT FOR EB, OES/OMC, IO/EDA AND EAP/EP
DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR AMB ZOELLICK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EFIS SENV FAO
SUBJECT: THIRD AD HOC MEETING OF IGO'S ON WORK PROGRAMS
RELATED TO SUBSIDIES IN FISHERIES

UNCLAS ROME 003413

SIPDIS


FROM THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UN AGENCIES IN ROME

DEPT FOR EB, OES/OMC, IO/EDA AND EAP/EP
DEPT PLEASE PASS USTR FOR AMB ZOELLICK

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD EFIS SENV FAO
SUBJECT: THIRD AD HOC MEETING OF IGO'S ON WORK PROGRAMS
RELATED TO SUBSIDIES IN FISHERIES


1. SUMMARY. THE UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
ORGANIZATION (FAO) CONVENED THE THIRD AD HOC MEETING OF
INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (IGOS) ON WORK PROGRAMS
RELATED TO SUBSIDIES IN FISHERIES 23-25 JULY 2003 AT FAO
HEADQUARTERS IN ROME. THE MEETING PRODUCED A CLEARER
VISION FOR FUTURE FAO WORK IN ESTABLISHING THE LINKAGES
BETWEEN SUBSIDIES AND FISHING CAPACITY AND ILLEGAL,
UNREGULATED AND UNREPORTED (IUU) FISHING. END SUMMARY.


2. THIS AD HOC MEETING WAS UNLIKE THE TWO PREVIOUS
MEETINGS, IN THAT THE FAO SECRETARIAT USED A CONSULTANT
TO PREPARE A PROPOSED WORK PROGRAM AND BROUGHT THREE
ACADEMICS WITH EXPERIENCE IN SUBSIDIES ANALYSIS TO LEAD
THE DISCUSSION OF THE WORK PROGRAM. THE 25TH MEETING OF
THE FAO COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES (COFI),DISAPPOINTED WITH
THE SLOW PROGRESS TOWARDS USEFUL ANALYSIS OF THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUBSIDIES AND EXCESS FISHING
CAPACITY AND BETWEEN SUBSIDIES AND IUU FISHING, HAD GIVEN
FAO CONSIDERABLE GUIDANCE IN HOW TO PROCEED.


3. THE CONSULTANT'S PRESENTATION CENTERED ON HOW TO APPLY
THE GUIDANCE FROM COFI TO THE PROBLEM THROUGH A CLASSIC
APPROACH TO STUDY DESIGN. THIS INCLUDED: (1) STATING
THE MANDATE FOR THE STUDY AND THE "FRAMEWORK" WITHIN
WHICH IT WOULD BE APPLIED; (2) LISTING THE QUESTIONS TO
BE ANSWERED BY THE STUDY; (3) DESCRIBING THE METHODOLOGY;
(4) DESCRIBING THE EXPECTED RESULTS; AND (5) BY PROVIDING
A LIST OF ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE AD HOC MEETING TO
TEST THE STUDY DESIGN AND TO SEE IF OTHER WORK, ALREADY
COMPLETED OR IN PROGRESS IN IGOS, MIGHT BE RELEVANT.


4. REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE PERMANENT COMMISSION FOR THE
SOUTH PACIFIC (CPPS),THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY AND COMMON
MARKET (CARICOM),THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN
NATIONS (ASEAN),THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
(UNEP),THE ORGANIZATION FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND
DEVELOPMENT (OECD),THE ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION
(APEC) FISHERIES WORKING GROUP AND THE WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATION (WTO) PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING. THE IGO
REPRESENTATIVES EACH PRESENTED BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE
ON-GOING SUBSIDIES POLICY DIRECTIONS AND STUDY RESULTS OF
THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS. OES/OMC OFFICER STETSON
TINKHAM, CURRENT LEAD SHEPHERD (CHAIR) OF THE APEC
FISHERIES WORKING GROUP, DESCRIBED INVOLVEMENT BY LEADERS
OF EACH OF THE 21 APEC ECONOMIES IN APEC PRIORITY-SETTING
AND SUGGESTED THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL IN MOVING THE SUBSIDY
AGENDA FORWARD. OTHERS DESCRIBED THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES
IN SUBSIDIES WORK, AS WELL AS THE DIFFICULTIES THEY WERE
EXPERIENCING IN CARRYING OUT THIS WORK.


5. THE CONSULTANT HAD BEGUN WITH THE RESULTS OF THE
DECEMBER 2002 FAO EXPERT CONSULTATION ON "IDENTIFYING,
ASSESSING AND REPORTING ON SUBSIDIES IN THE FISHING
INDUSTRY." SHE REFINED THE SERIES OF "GUIDELINES"
DEVELOPED AT THE DECEMBER MEETING INTO THE STUDY DESIGN
PRESENTED AT THIS AD HOC MEETING. THE MEETING CONCLUDED
THAT THE CONSULTANT HAD DEVELOPED A GOOD STUDY DESIGN,
BUT THAT THE MODEL SHE RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN DETERMINING
THE IMPACT OF SUBSIDIES ON OVERCAPITALIZATION AND ON IUU
FISHING NEEDED TO BE TESTED WITH "REAL WORLD" DATA.
BASIL SHARP, ONE OF THE ACADEMIC EXPERTS INVITED TO THE
MEETING BY FAO, AGREED TO "RUN" THE MODEL WITH FISHERIES
DATA TO WHICH HE HAD ACCESS. FAO PLANS TO USE THE CASE
STUDIES DEVELOPED USING THE MODEL TO INFORM THE
DISCUSSION AT AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONSULTATION ON
SUBSIDIES IN FISHERIES. THAT CONSULTATION IS CURRENTLY
SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE IN MID-2004.


6. THE RESULTS OF THE DECEMBER 2002 CONSULTATION ARE
AVAILABLE FROM THE FAO IN FAO FISHERIES REPORT NO. 698
(FIPP/R698) ISSN 0429-9337. THE DRAFT REPORT OF THE AD
HOC MEETING IS AVAILABLE FROM OES/OMC (CONTACT STETSON
TINKHAM BY E-MAIL AT TINKHAMSX(AT)STATE.GOV .

HALL

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2003ROME03413 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED