This document is the final report of the Third Intergovernmental Consultation on the Establishment of a Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission, held in Nairobi, Kenya, from January 27-30 2004. For waters under the sovereignty of coastal States, the Consultation agreed that a regional body for the management and development of coastal fisheries, with advisory powers only, be set up under Article VI of the FAO Constitution. For the high seas, it agreed that there should be a separate instrument, outside of the FAO, with the power to take binding decisions on conservation and management measures. The Consultation recognized the right of involvement of coastal States in the high seas instrument and identified linkages between the proposed coastal State and the high seas arrangements. The Consultation also agreed on the draft text for a resolution to the FAO Council and for the statutes of a regional body for the management and development of coastal fisheries. Possible elements of a draft agreement for the high seas were briefly discussed.--Publisher's description.

The Commission noted the work undertaken since the second session, considered the report of the Scientific Committee, and agreed that the second Working Party on Fisheries Data and Statistics should address the harmonization of fishery frame surveys. La Commission, apres avoir pris note du travail accompli depuis la deuxieme session, a examine le rapport du Comite scientifique et est convenue que le deuxieme Groupe de travail sur les donnees et statistiques halieutiques se chargerait de l'harmonisation des etudes cadres sur les peches."

The first session of the Scientific Committee of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission was attended by delegates from Comoros, European Community, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia and the United Republic of Tanzania. Representatives of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project, the Regional Seas Programme of the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Wide Fund for Nature also attended the session as observers. The Scientific Committee elected its first Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson and examined: the status of fisheries resources in its area of competence; the ecosystem approach to fisheries management; the relationship between the Scientific Committee and regional fisheries research and assessment activities; and working parties.

The Scientific Committee examined the status of fisheries resources in its area of competence; considered the report of the second Working Party on Fisheries Data and Statistics; discussed a recent fishery assessment from Mauritius; discussed management and research actions in Mozambique (lobster), Seychelles (sharks), South Africa (line fishery) and Tanzania (prawns); discussed the preparation of next year's conference on the contribution of fisheries to the Millennium Development Goals; discussed the results of a workshop on ecosystem approach to fisheries; encouraged the formation of informal working groups to address priority areas identified; and made recommendations for the consideration of the fourth session of the Commission. Le Comite scientifique a examine l'etat des ressources halieutiques de sa zone de competence. Cette session lui a egalement permis d'etudier le rapport du deuxieme Groupe de travail sur les donnees et statistiques halieutiques; de discuter d'une evaluation recente des pecheries de Maurice; de passer en revue les activites de gestion et de recherche menees au Mozambique (homard), aux Seychelles (requins), en Afrique du Sud (peche a la ligne) et en Tanzanie (crevettes); de reflechir a la preparation de la Conference sur la contribution des peches aux objectifs du Millenaire pour le developpement qui doit se tenir l'annee prochaine; d'analyser les resultats d'un atelier sur la gestion ecosystemique des peches; d'encourager la formation de groupes de travail informels charges de traiter les sujets prioritaires identifies; et de formuler des recommandations qui seront examinees lors de la quatrieme session de la Commission."