NAFO Full Form: Overview, History, Members and More

NAFO Full Form: The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) is an intergovernmental organization with a mandate to provide scientific advice and management of fisheries in the northwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean. NAFO is headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Canada.

NAFO’s Objective

NAFO’s objective is to ensure long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the Convention Area and, in so doing, to safeguard the marine ecosystems in which these resources are found.

History

In 1950, fishing nations established the International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF) to preserve fish stocks using scientific methods. ICNAF, supported by the “International Convention for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries,” was replaced by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in 1979 due to the establishment of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). NAFO, under the “Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries,” continues ICNAF’s legacy, focusing on fish stock conservation and management, excluding salmon, tunas/marlins, whales, and sedentary species. NAFO regulates 12 fish species (20 stocks) with moratoria on seven stocks and co-manages pelagic redfish with NEAFC.

Current Members of NAFO

Canada	Russia
Cuba	South Korea
European Union	USA
Iceland	France
Norway	Ukraine
Denmark	United Kingdom
Japan

Source: https://www.nafo.int/

NAFO Commission

The Commission of NAFO per Article VI of the NAFO Convention, handles fisheries management, control, enforcement, and financial decisions. It consults the Scientific Council on scientific matters related to fisheries and ecosystems. Formed from the General Council and Fisheries Commission merger in 2017, it comprises representatives from each Contracting Party. As of September 2023, Deirdre Warner-Kramer (USA) is the Chairperson and Bernard Briand (SPM) is the Vice-Chair.

The commission has 2 standing committees:

1. STACFAD: Standing Committee on Finance and Administration

STACFAD advises the Commission on:

matters relating to the Secretariat;
the budget of the Organization;
the time and place of meetings of the Organization; and
publications of the Organization.

STACFAD consists of representatives from at least five Contracting Parties. Experts and advisers assist these representatives.

Chair: Robert Fagan (Canada), re-elected September 2023
Vice-Chair: Imogen Gibbins (United Kingdom), elected September 2023

2. STATIC: Standing Committee on International Control

STACTIC advises the Commission on:
the NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures
monitoring, control and surveillance activities
compliance monitoring and reporting

STACTIC consists of one representative from each Commission member who experts and advisers assist.

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Chair: Patrick Moran (USA), re-elected September 2023
vice-Chair: Brent Napier (Canada), elected September 2023

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQs)

What is the purpose of NAFO?

NAFO’s overall purpose is to help its members work together and share knowledge to effectively manage and conserve the high-seas fishery resources of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.