Accountability.Fish

What is Accountability.Fish

A global initiative to promote open governance in the international fisheries management system, and challenge those players who are blocking greater openness.

About Us

LEVELING THE RFMO PLAYING FIELD

Equal Access Principles

Decisions made by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) have far reaching consequences for stakeholders around the world, be they consumers, workers, retailers, or the general public.

To help ensure that RFMO decision making reflects the interests – and input – of all stakeholders, not just industrial fishers, we propose these Equal Access Principles be adopted, implemented, and enforced in all global RFMOs:

1

Open plenary and general meetings, including media.

2

Permit approved observers at all subsidiary meetings.

3

Mandate the use of all RFMO official languages in subsidiary meetings.

4

Interpret all rules relating to stakeholder observers and participation so as to ensure open and inclusive participation.

5

Mandate parity of treatment between stakeholders–NGOs, markets, producers and guarantee access to be heard by the delegations as well at national coordination, plenary, and subsidiary meetings.

6

Enact inclusive accreditation and participation rules to enable diverse stakeholder involvement, standardized across all RFMOs.

7

Implement clear and open guidelines for submitting written testimony and materials, free of any content-review process.

8

Remove undue restrictions on the rights of observers to make oral statements during the deliberation process rather than afterwards.

9

Recognize and include contributions made by stakeholder observers in any decision with potential impacts on the environment.

10

Promote partnership and joint activities with stakeholders with relevant expertise and/or local knowledge;

11

Make meeting locations and participation fees appropriate and reasonable for all participants.

12

Sustain stakeholders’ observer status even if one meeting is skipped.