At CCAMLR-XXXVII, the CCAMLR community recognised Ecuador as a Non-Contracting Party (NCP) cooperating with CCAMLR though participation in the CDS.
The recognition of this status for Ecuador is the result of two years of discussion and consideration by the Commission. Ecuador successfully demonstrated its commitment and capability to meet the objectives of and implement Conservation Measure 10-05.
In February 2019, the CCAMLR Secretariat and Ecuadorian government collaborated on a four-day workshop which provided interactive user training in the e-CDS platform and further understanding of the rights, roles and responsibilities of an NCP cooperating with CCAMLR through participation in the CDS. The workshop was timed to coincide with the active part of the Ecuadorian Patagonian Toothfish research fishery. Secretariat representatives visited a vessel conducting research, the Belle, at port in Manta during a stopover on one of its fishing voyages.
The workshop was attended by a wide range of Ecuadorian representatives from Government, the scientific and Antarctic community, national military and industry. Bonney Webb, the CCAMLR Secretariat’s Fisheries Monitoring and Compliance Manager, highlighted the success of the workshop in improving the ability of Ecuador to cooperate with CCAMLR through participating in the CDS.
‘The level of enthusiasm for cooperation with CCAMLR, demonstrated through the breadth and standard of engagement from all Ecuadorian stakeholders, has been impressive.’
The Secretariat received strategic logistical and operational support from Jorge Costain, Undersecretary of Fisheries Resources, and Rebeca Espinoza-Bernal, a specialist from the Ministry of Production, International Commerce, Investments and Fisheries, Ecuador’s CDS Contact Officer, who feels the success of the workshop has already bolstered the capacity of Ecuador to participate in the CDS and cooperate with the CCAMLR community more broadly.
Mr Guido Ferretti, Vice Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries stated ‘We thank CCAMLR and its Members for accepting Ecuador as a NCP cooperating with the CDS, and for the cooperation shown to strengthen our capacities on the traceability of deep-sea cod in the research fishery, opening the possibility to work together on other fields such as krill fisheries, an important product for the aquaculture industry.’
Mr Costain added that ‘The cooperation with CCAMLR opens an important door to the world for Ecuador, in its fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the traceability of products’.
-from CCAMLR.org