Observer coverage. The AIDCP mandates 100% coverage by observers of fishing trips by purse seiners of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (t) in the Agreement Area. In 2008, the Ecuadorian program had a goal of sampling approximately one-third of the trips by its fleet, and the Colombian, European Union, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, and Venezuelan programs each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips by these five fleets, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets. During 2008, observers from the On-Board Observer Program departed on 780 fishing trips, which in- cluded 7 trips by one vessel of less than 363 t capacity that was required to carry an observer on all trips made while being investigated for a possible AIDCP infraction (Table 1). In addition, 52 vessels whose last trip of 2007 carried over into 2008 had observers aboard, bringing the total to 832 trips observed in 2008 by the Program. The Program covered vessels operating under the jurisdictions of Colombia, Ecua- dor, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Spain, the United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela. In 2008 the Program sampled 100% of trips by large purse-seine vessels, as required by the AIDCP, and the IATTC program sampled 61% of all trips.
Observer coverage. In 2013 the Program placed observers aboard 100% of trips by purse-seine vessels of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (t) in the Agreement Area, as required by the AIDCP. In 2013, the Ecuadorian program had a goal of sampling approximately one-third of the trips by its fleet, and the Colombian, European Union, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, and Venezuelan programs each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips by these five fleets, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets, for a total of 57% of all trips. During 2013, AIDCP observers departed on 744 fishing trips made in the Agreement Area by vessels op- erating under the flags of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, European Union (Spain), Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, the United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela (Table 1). Of these, 20 trips were by ves- sels of less than 363 tons capacity required to carry observers during closure periods, or as required by IATTC Resolution C-12-08, and 13 (all by vessels over 363 t) were monitored by WCPFC cross- endorsed observers. An additional 23 trips were accompanied by AIDCP observers but did not have any fishing activity in the Agreement Area; these trips are not included in Table 1.
Observer coverage. The AIDCP mandates 100% coverage by observers of fishing trips by purse seiners of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (t) in the Agreement Area. In 2006, the Ecuadorian program had a goal of sampling approximately one-third of the trips by its fleet, and the Colombian, European Union, Mexican, and Venezuelan programs each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets. However, the program of the European Union was inactive from early 2005 until February 2006. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips by these five fleets, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets, except as noted below. During 2006, observers from the On-Board Observer Program departed on 746 fishing trips (Table 1). In addition, 90 vessels whose last trip of 2005 carried over into 2006 had observers aboard, bringing the total to 836 trips observed in 2006 by the Program. One Panamanian-flag vessel began a trip under the flag of Venezuela, and this trip was sampled by the PNOV. The Program covered vessels operating under the jurisdictions of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, the United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela. In 2006 the Program sampled 100% of trips by vessels covered by the AIDCP, and the IATTC program sampled 63% of all trips.
Observer coverage. The AIDCP requires that observers are placed aboard 100% of trips in the Agreement Area by purse-seine vessels of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (Class 6). However, the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in March 2020 have made necessary several adaptations and deviations from the typical implementation of this observer coverage requirement. The Chairs of the AIDCP Meeting of the Parties and of the IATTC, through circular memorandum ref. 0150-420 dated 30 March 2020, after contacting and consulting with a number of the Parties and convinced that priority must be given to the right to food security and the need to continue ensuring the provision of food to the people, made a number of recommendations aiming at exempting any vessel for which it is impossible to place an observer on board in compliance with the applicable IATTC and AIDCP rules from its corresponding obligations. After extensive consultations with the Parties, these recommendations were developed and formalized in a document entitled COVID-19 Pandemic Exemption Procedure for the Operation of On-Board Observers, which was circulated through memorandum ref. 0170-420 dated 14 April 2020 (Annex 1). This exemption procedure has been extended several times during 2020, and 2021. The last decision on the matter, as re- quested by the IATTC and the AIDCP chairs on 21 June 2022, extended the application of these procedures through 30 September 2022, but an additional extension of these provisions through 31 December 2022 is under consideration at the time of the finalization of this report. With some global and national health authorities declaring that the pandemic phase has concluded or is nearly concluded and the lifting of most travel and immigration restrictions in many locations, IATTC staff anticipate that time when the AIDCP Parties and IATTC Members may choose to discontinue this exemption process may be drawing near and are planning accordingly. The application of the above stated exceptional procedure had an adverse effect on the level of sampling cover- age under the AIDCP. Under normal circumstances, consistent with the provisions of the AIDCP, national ob- server programs would have covered a specific percentage of the trips made by the various fleets. Normally, the Ecuadorian national program would have a goal of placing observers aboard 33% of the trips by Ecuadorian vessels while the Colombian, European Union, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, and Ve...
Observer coverage. In 2016 the Program placed observers aboard 99% of the trips by purse-seine vessels of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (Class 6) in the Agreement Area, as required by the AIDCP. Three trips by Class-6 vessels operated in the Agreement Area without the required AIDCP observer (see minutes of the 61st meeting of the IRP). In 2016, the Ecuadorian national program had a goal of sampling approximately one-third of the trips by its fleet, and the Colombian, European Union, Mexican, Nicaraguan, Panamanian, and Venezuelan national programs each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips of vessels from these seven fleets, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets, for a total of 60% of all observed trips. During 2016, AIDCP observers departed on 880 fishing trips made in the Agreement Area by vessels op- erating under the flags of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, European Union (Spain), Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, the United States, and Venezuela (Table 1). WCPFC observers covered 12 trips by Class-6 vessels; of the rest, 26 trips were by vessels of 363 t or less: 3 by Class-5 vessels (273-363 t carrying capacity) and 19 by Class-4 vessels (182-272 t carrying capacity), under the exemption in Resolution C- 13-01 that allows these vessels to fish for one trip during the closure if accompanied by an AIDCP observer. Also, at the request of the pertinent national authority, observers accompanied four trips by Class-5 vessels that did not fish for tunas, but that are included in the IATTC Regional Register as tuna purse seiners. In addition to the above, in 2016 Ecuador started a voluntary observer program for tuna purse-seine vessels smaller than Class-6, using AIDCP observers, procedures, and protocols. The information collected from the 19 trips covered, 10 by Class-4 vessels and 9 by Class-5 vessels, was provided to the IATTC staff and incorporated into the IATTC observer database.
Observer coverage. The AIDCP mandates 100% coverage by observers of fishing trips by purse seiners of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (t) (IATTC Class 6) in the Agreement Area. In 2004 the Ecuadorean program had a goal of sampling approximately one-third of the trips by its fleet, and the European Union, Mexican, and Venezuelan programs each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips by these four fleets, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets, except as noted below. During 2004, observers from the On-Board Observer Program departed on 760 fishing trips (Table 1). In addition, 74 vessels whose last trip of 2003 carried over into 2004 had observers aboard, bringing the total to 834 trips observed in 2004 by the Program. The Program covered vessels operating under the jurisdictions of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, the United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela. In 2004 the Program sampled 100% of trips by vessels covered by the AIDCP, and the IATTC program sampled 70% of all trips.
Observer coverage. The AIDCP mandates 100% coverage by observers of fishing trips by purse seiners of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (IATTC Class 6) in the Agreement Area. PROBECUADOR began the year sampling approximately 25% of trips by its fleet and increased its sampling later in the year toward a goal of 34% coverage. The PNAAPD and PNOV each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets during the year. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips by the fleets of those three countries, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets, except as noted below. During 2001, observers from the On-Board Observer Program departed on 698 fishing trips (Table 1). In addition, 54 vessels whose last trip of 2000 carried over into 2001 had observers aboard, bringing the total to 752 trips observed in 2001 by the Program. The Program covered vessels operating under the jurisdictions of Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, the United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela, and in one case a vessel of unknown registry. Nineteen of these trips were made by vessels which at the time of departure were flying the flag of a non-Party to the AIDCP. During 2001 the Program sampled 98.2% of trips vessels covered by the AIDCP, and the IATTC program sampled over 69% of all trips. Of the 14 trips not sampled, 10 were made by five Bolivian-flag vessels during the period when the Parties decided to withhold observers from Bolivian vessels pending clarification regarding Bolivia’s participation in the IDCP. After Bolivia began its participation in August, one of its vessels made a trip without an observer because its management refused to accept the assigned observer. Observers were not aboard on three other trips, two by a vessel of unknown registry and one by a Vanuatu-flag vessel (which was in the process of changing its flag to Bolivia), because the managers of those vessels did not request a observers.
Observer coverage. 4. Each CPC shall ensure the following with respect to its domestic observer programs:
Observer coverage. The AIDCP requires that observers are placed aboard 100% of trips in the Agreement Area by purse-seine vessels of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (Class 6). However, the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in March 2020 have made necessary several adaptations and deviations from the typical implementation of this observer coverage requirement. The Chairs of the AIDCP Meeting of the Parties and of the IATTC, through circular memorandum ref. 0150-420 dated 30 March 2020, after contacting and consulting with a number of the Parties and convinced that priority must be given to the right to food security and the need to continue ensuring the provision of food to the people, made a number of recommendations aiming at exempting any vessel for which it is impossible to place an observer on board in compliance with the applicable IATTC and AIDCP rules from its corresponding obligations.
Observer coverage. The AIDCP mandates 100% coverage by observers of fishing trips by purse seiners of carrying capacity greater than 363 metric tons (T) (IATTC Class 6) in the Agreement Area. In 2002 the Ecuadorean program had a goal of sampling approximately one-third of the trips by its fleet, and the Mexican and Venezuelan programs each had a goal of sampling approximately half of the trips by their respective fleets. The IATTC program covered the remainder of the trips by the fleets of those three countries, plus all trips by vessels of other fleets, except as noted below. During 2002, observers from the On-Board Observer Program departed on 755 fishing trips (Table 1). In addition, 68 vessels whose last trip of 2001 carried over into 2002 had observers aboard, bringing the total to 823 trips observed in 2002 by the Program. The Program covered vessels operating under the jurisdictions of Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Spain, the United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela. Five of these trips, one which began in 2001 and carried over into 2002, were made by a vessel flying the flag of a non-Party to the AIDCP. The Program sample d 99.3% of trips by vessels covered by the AIDCP, and the IATTC program sampled over 68% of all trips. One vessel that should have participated in the Program made 6 trips without an observer (1 trip under unknown flag and 5 trips under Bolivian flag) as vessel management refused to participate, despite several communications from the Bolivian government that the vessel’s capacity requires it to do so. There was some doubt about whether one vessel which is close to the size required by the AIDCP to carry an observer should have carried an observer. In the event, the flag government determined that the vessel was of less than 363 T carrying capacity and was not required to carry an observer.
