CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and Wild Fauna and Flora

COLTO

The Coalition of Legal Toothfish Operators is an international alliance of legal fishermen whose aim is to: to represent the legal toothfish industry; to eliminate illegal fishing for toothfish; and to provide surveillance and other valuable information to governments to help stop the toothfish poachers. COLTO members are committed to sustainable fisheries management practices, which will conserve toothfish.

Competitive total allowable catch

A total allowable catch (TAC) under which participants are not allocated a portion of the total catch limit but the catches from all participants are summed to ensure that the sum of all catches does not exceed that TAC.

Danish seine

Danish seine is a trawling method used by relatively small boats in shallow waters (up to about 200 m). Lengths of weighted ropes of up to 2,800 m are laid out on the sea floor in a diamond pattern with the boat at one end of the diamond and the net at the other. As the boat moves forward the diamond becomes elongated allowing the fish to be herded into the path of the net.

Demersal fish

Fish that are normally caught on the seabed.

Demersal gillnets

A mesh net, also known as a gillnet, tangle net or graball net, which is anchored to the seabed but kept upright by floats.

Demersal line/hook fishing

Fishing using a line and baited hooks in which weights hold the line on the sea floor so that hooks are set close to the bottom.

Demersal trawl

Trawl gear designed to work on or near the sea bed. Such gear is used to take demersal species of fish and prawns.

Discards

Any part of the catch which is returned to the sea, whether dead or alive.

Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD)

Recognising, managing and balancing all the impacts of human activity on the environment. In fisheries this includes having regard to the impacts of fishing on the broader marine environment, specific ecosystems and biodiversity as well as the impact on target, by-product and bycatch species.

EEZ

Exclusive Economic Zone - A zone under national jurisdiction (up to 200-nautical miles wide) declared in line with the provisions of 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea, within which the coastal State has the right to explore and exploit, and the responsibility to conserve and manage, the living and non-living resources.

FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This organisation leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information. FAO's activities comprise four main areas: 1) Putting information within reach; 2) Sharing policy expertise; 3) Providing a meeting place for nations; and 4) Bringing knowledge to the field

Fish stocks

The term used to describe target or by product species at the most general level. In managing fisheries, we seek to manage the take of fish stocks so as to ensure there is a balance between the long term sustainability of the stock and the amount taken by fishers over a given period eg a fishing year.

Fishery capture rates

The quantity of fish taken for a given level of effort and/or over a given period of time.

Fishing capacity

The amount of fishing effort that a fishing boat, or a fleet of fishing boats, could exert if utilised to its/their full potential.

Flag state

The State where a vessel is registered and flagged.

FOC

Flag of convenience - The term pertains to cases where a boat is registered in a different State than that of ownership, for reasons of cost, convenience and possibly lowers levels of management and enforcement of fisheries management arrangements.

Foreign fishing vessel

Any fishing vessel other than a vessel of the coastal state.

Fully fished

The term is used to describe a fish stock for which catches are close to or at sustainable levels and any increase in fishing may lead to overfishing or an overfished stock.

GPS

Global Positioning System, a low cost ($1000 to $5000) system for finding three dimensional coordinates on the earth using satellites.

Handline

A line to which one or more lures or baits are attached.

High seas

That area of the oceans which is not part of EEZs i.e. in waters beyond the areas of national jurisdiction (which can be 200 miles or less).

Highly migratory species

Marine species whose life cycle includes lengthy migrations, usually through the EEZ of two or more countries as well as into international waters. This term usually is used to denote tuna and tuna-like species, marlins and swordfish.

IATTC

Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission

ICCAT

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. This organization oversees management of fisheries for tuna and similar species in the Atlantic .

ICES

International Council for the Exploration of the Seas. An international science forum founded in 1902.

IGO

Intergovernmental Organization

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing

Fishing undertaken in national waters and the high seas which is contrary to management and reporting arrangements where they are in place, or fishing undertaken where no arrangements exist with little or no regard for the sustainability of target. By-product and by catch species. See also IUU Fishing heading for more information.

IMO

International Maritime Organization

Incidental Catch

Has the same meaning as non-target.

Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs)

ITQs refer to individual portions of a TAC - units of quota - which allow the holder to catch that portion of the TAC each season. The weight value of the ITQs change proportionately to changes in the TAC set for a species each season. ITQs are fully tradeable and can be sold or leased to other persons.

Input controls

Restrictions placed on the amount of effort put into a fishery eg by restricting types and size of fishing gear and boats and the amount of fishing time.

IOTC

Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.

IUCN

World Conservation Union (formerly the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), located in Gland, Switzerland . It aims to provide knowledge and guidance about conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Limited entry

Management arrangements whereby only a fixed number of operators are allowed to fish in a particular fishery. New operators may only gain access to the fishery by purchasing an existing access right.

Longline fishing

A method of fishing that can be either surface set (pelagic) or bottom set (demersal) line fishing. Both methods comprise a main lines to which are attached branch lines, each fitted with one or more baited hooks or artificial lures.

Maximum economic yield (MEY)

The MEY is obtained when marginal costs of fishing effort are equal to marginal revenues. It is equal to the maximum rent obtainable from the fishery. The maximum (sustainable) amount of economic benefits, measured as the sum of net benefits to producers and consumers, and resource rent. Under static conditions the yield for which average revenue equals long terms marginal cost.

Maximum sustainable yield (MSY)

The largest average catch or yield that can continuously be taken from a stock under existing environmental conditions. For species with fluctuating recruitment, the maximum might be obtained by taking fewer fish in some years than in others.

Mid-water trawling

A form of trawling in which the net is off the sea bottom at all times. Such nets have large mouths and are used for targeting pelagic and semi-pelagic fish schools.

NAFO

The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization. NAFO sets quotas for some stocks that are outside Canada’s 200-mile limit, straddle the line, or are of mainly foreign interest.

Nautical mile

Unit of distance equivalent to 1 minute latitude of the earth (=1852 meters).

NGO

Non Governmental Organization - Any organisation that is not a part of federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal government. Usually refers to non-profit organisations involved in a range of different activities

Non-target Species

Any part of the catch, except the target species, and including by-product and bycatch.

OECD

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The OECD groups 30 member countries sharing a commitment to democratic government and the market economy. With active relationships with some 70 other countries, NGOs and civil society, it has a global reach. It is best known for its publications and its statistics, its work covers economic and social issues from macroeconomics, to trade, education, development and science and innovation. It also has an Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

Output controls

Restrictions imposed on the quantity of fish that can be taken from a fishery within a specified period of time. This can be by either a competitive TAC or a TAC allocated to participants as ITQs.

Overfished

This term applies to a fish stock or fishery, for which levels of fishing or catches are excessive, or which still reflects the effects of prior excessive fishing. In the former case, yields may be higher in the longer term if the fishing level is reduced in the short term. A classification of overfished may continue after a reduction in fishing while stocks are rebuilt.

Patagonian/Antarctic toothfish

(Dissostichus eleginoides/mawsonii) – deepwater species found in large areas of the sub-Antarctic oceans, mainly the southern parts of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans . It is also know as Mero, Chilean Sea Bass and Black Hake.

Pelagic fish

Fish that are normally caught on the sea surface or in the water column.

Pelagic longlining

A fishing method that targets pelagic fish species. A pelagic longline comprises a mainline to which are attached branch lines, each fitted with one or more baited hooks or artificial lures. A pelagic longline is set so that the mainline, branch lines and hooks are suspended above the seabed by floats at the sea surface.

Poling (pole-and-line fishing)

A fishing method where fishers on the boat use a short fibreglass pole with a barbless lure or baited barbless hook attached to a short trace to hook and swing (pole) the targeted fish onto the boat.

Port state

Precautionary principle/approach

The precautionary principle requires that where there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation. The precautionary approach usually refers to the application of the precautionary principle.

Purse seining

A method used to capture schooling pelagic fish whereby an area of water is surrounded by a large net set at the surface which is then "pursed" at the base to enclose that area from beneath.

Quota (ITQ) management

A method of management based on output controls whereby the TAC is allocated among eligible operators and allocated as shares in the annual TAC.

RFMO

Regional Fisheries Management Organisation

SPC

Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Sustainable yield

The maximum catch that can be taken from a fishery over an indefinite period without causing the stocks to be depleted.

Target Species

The most highly sought component of the catch taken by fishers.

Tori poles

A pole that has attached to it a main line from which streamers are hung at regular intervals to scare seabirds away from baits attached to a pelagic longline.

Total Allowable Catch (TAC)

A TAC represents the amount of fish of a particular species that can be taken from a fishery in a prescribed period. TACs are set for fish species managed through ITQs.

Trade Information Scheme

Trigger TAC

A TAC which, when achieved, ‘triggers’ some form of management action being taken.

Trolling

A fishing method where lures or baits attached to lines are towed behind a slowly moving boat.

UN

United Nations

UNCLOS

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Adopted in 1982. Entered into force in 1994.

UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme. An international organization established in 1972 to catalyse and coordinate activities to increase scientific understanding of environmental change and develop environmental management tools.

UN Fish Stock Agreement

Abbreviation for the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks.

Uncertain

The term is used to describe a fish stock that may be underfished, fully fished or overfished but for which there is inadequate or inappropriate information to form a reliable assessment of the status of the fishery or stock.

Vessel Monitoring System (VMS)

As part of modern Monitoring, Control and Surveillance systems (MCS) the VMS is a vessel tracking system (usually satellite-based) which provides management authorities with accurate information on fishing vessels position (and speed) at time intervals.