[Meeting-announcements] No. 08/18 - Sixth SPC Heads of Fisheries Meeting and sixth PROCFish/C Advisory Committee meeting

[Helene Lecomte]

73730
TO :	Representatives of Governments and Administrations; 
SPC Fisheries Contacts; Fisheries Organisations and Observers
	No.: 	08/18
			
			
FILE :
	CONF 2/9/30	DATE :	19 September 2008
SUBJECT :	Sixth SPC Heads of Fisheries Meeting and sixth PROCFish/C Advisory Committee meeting



PURPOSE OF NOTICE

1.	This is an invitation to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community's sixth Heads of Fisheries Meeting (HoF6) and the sixth Advisory Committee (AC6) meeting of the Pacific Regional Oceanic and Coastal Fisheries Development Programme (PROCFish/C and CoFish) to be held in Noumea at the SPC Conference Centre from 9th to 13th February 2009. 

2.	This notice is:

*	A request for SPC member country governments and territory administrations to nominate one official fisheries representative to the HoF6 meeting and PROCFish/C AC6 meeting, preferably the Head of Fisheries;
*	A request for SPC member country governments and territory administrations to nominate one official senior coastal fisheries science representative to the HoF6 meeting and PROCFish/C AC6 meeting;
*	An invitation to other agencies, organisations, companies, and individuals with an interest in fisheries in the Pacific Islands region, to attend the meeting and take the opportunity of discussion with Pacific Island fisheries representatives and specialists, and with each other. There is no registration fee, and given sufficient notice, SPC can help in negotiating special rates at local hotels;

3.	All nominations and expressions of interest should also provide a reliable email address, if available, through which less formal communications and electronic copies of meeting papers can be routed. Note that all nominations for SPC funded participants:

*	Need to be received by Friday 7 November so that flight bookings can be made; and
*	Need to provide a copy of their passport photo page at the time of nomination.

Note: No change to SPC-funded nominations will be accepted within one month of the meeting dates.
 

4.	Financial support is available for the attendance of two representatives from each SPC island member government or administration (the Head of Fisheries or their delegate and a senior coastal fisheries scientist), plus the travel costs of the Chair of the meeting. All SPC members who desire to be officially represented and who require SPC funding for their representative to attend the meeting should make formal nominations, through their official SPC contact point (see page 69 of the 2008 SPC Fisheries Address Book http://www.spc.int/coastfish/news/Address_Book/Address_book.htm) to the Director-General of SPC. It will help if you can also directly and informally let us know the names of your representatives (to LindsayC at spc.int and helenel at spc.int).


	PURPOSE OF MEETING
	
	5.	The SPC Heads of Fisheries Meeting is part of SPC's corporate governance structure. SPC's main governing councils, the biennial Conference of the Pacific Community and the annual Committee of Representatives of Governments and Administrations (CRGA), are the ultimate decision-making bodies for the organisation and decide the strategic direction, annual work-programme and budget. However, SPC is large compared to other Pacific Island regional organisations, and its work-programme covers a number of different sectors. CRGA obtains advice from several sectoral specialist councils, and the Heads of Fisheries meeting is one of these.
	
	6.	The Heads of Fisheries meeting covers both of SPC's Fisheries Programmes: Oceanic and Coastal. It has historically placed more emphasis on Coastal Fisheries Programme (CFP) business than the Oceanic Fisheries Programme (OFP) because the work of the OFP is also guided by several other regional meetings involving member countries, including the Scientific Committee for the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Forum Fisheries Committee. However, HoF is the conduit through which any consensus formal recommendations of SPC member country fisheries specialists reach the SPC CRGA, which itself governs the entire work programme, including both OFP and CFP.
	
	7.	HoF also remains the only opportunity for Pacific Island fisheries heads to generally discuss domestic and reef fisheries issues and problems together, and to provide essential feedback to the direction of the SPC Coastal Fisheries Programme. Although the CFP convenes occasional specialist meetings, such as recent meetings on coastal fisheries management and aquaculture, these are to advise on special topics, and only take place at irregular intervals. The Heads of Fisheries meeting is intended to cover the entire range of work of national and territorial fisheries administrations. It may even discuss issues outside the current range of the SPC work-programme, and this "big-picture" view of fisheries is essential for longer-term planning and is also of considerable assistance to other agencies, regional NGOs and donors interested in national as well as regional issues.
	
	
	PROVISIONAL AGENDA
	
8.		The following topics are proposed for inclusion in the agenda:

*	Brief director's presentation on SPC fisheries work and activities
*	Brief presentations by Coastal and Oceanic Fisheries Programme Section heads (supplemented by comprehensive written reports against Programme Strategic Plans);
*	Informal round-table discussion of arising fisheries issues of concern to member countries and territories;
*	More structured discussions on thematic issues of concern to member countries and territories, and these may include:
*	Implementing the ecosystem approach to coastal fisheries management
*	Aquatic biosecurity and trade
*	Climate change
*	Food security
*	Fuel and energy
*	Observer training and coordination
*	Heads of Fisheries are invited to nominate other issues before the meeting
*	One day session of the EU/SPC PROCFISH Advisory Committee (final meeting), with staff of the coastal component reporting back on results of their work including the results of the regional assessment; 
*	Workshop sessions to review, and provide input from a fisheries specialist perspective, to the development of new SPC Fisheries Programme Strategic Plans (2010 to 2014) for both the CFP and OFP that will be approved by the SPC Conference in late 2009 as "living documents";
*	Update on the joint SPC/FFA future of fisheries study;
*	 "Other issues" - discussion of other fisheries-related issues brought up by CROP and other organisations, or members, as agreed by the meeting;
*	Agreement of formal outputs of the meeting.

9.	Please note that there will be no formal agenda item for statements by "other organisations". If any organisation or individual wishes to raise a fisheries issue of wide significance then it should be proposed to the Chair at the start of the meeting during the discussion of the agenda, and agreed by the meeting for inclusion under "other issues". Other information should be provided as poster presentations (space will be made available for those who request it), or at informal lunchtime or evening sessions (sponsorship of working lunches, on the deck at the SPC Conference Centre, is welcomed by the Secretariat).

10.	Some reports and working papers of recent meetings are available on the SPC website at the address http://www.spc.int/coastfish/Reports/meetpap.htm and working papers for this meeting will be available via the address
http://www.spc.int/coastfish/Reports/HOF6/index.html as they arise.
The Programme Strategic plans and other organisational documents are to be found at http://www.spc.int/mrd/org.htm. 
	
	
	LANGUAGE
	
11.	As an official SPC sectoral meeting, the sixth Heads of Fisheries Meeting will be conducted in both English and French, with simultaneous interpretation, and translation of key papers. This has two consequences in terms of meeting organisation: - it would be financially difficult to hold the meeting anywhere but Noumea, (unless there are savings and subsidies corresponding to the amount it would cost for the travel of the interpretation and technical team (minimum 7 persons)); and it will be necessary to have any papers submitted well in advance in order to translate them in time for the meeting. Certain background documents are already available and will be posted on the website as they are identified.
	
	
	REPORT
	
	12.	The formal report of the meeting will be concise, and consist three parts (one optional):
	
a.	A list of decisions and recommendations identified by the Chair, and agreed by consensus, usually called the "Outputs" of the meeting. The wording of this document (normally of less than 10 pages) will be finalised and agreed before the close of the meeting. In parallel with standard UN practice, the working document will be discussed and agreed in English, and translations will be produced immediately after the meeting;
b.	A report by the HoF6 Chair to the next SPC Governing Council (CRGA). This may be produced after the close of the meeting, but will include any issues agreed by the meeting for inclusion;
c.	A possible statement by the meeting to be presented at COFI in March 2009, if the meeting chooses to do this.

13.	A more complete record of discussion may be produced by the Secretariat after the meeting to cover certain sections of the proceedings if a particular need is agreed and if the work-programme permits, but participants should note that a complete audio recording of the entire meeting can be made available on CD for anyone who wishes it. Recordings of the previous two Heads of Fisheries Meeting are also available (with over 40 hours of sheer listening pleasure on each CD). 
	
	
	ACCOMMODATION
	
	14.	A per-diem will be provided to SPC-funded official representatives (two from each SPC Island member country and territory). Hotel accommodation can be booked at the SPC Secretariat rate if any meeting participant requires, but the payment of all costs will be the responsibility of each participant.
	
	
	TRAVEL
	
	15.	An economy class return ticket by the most economical route will be provided to all SPC-funded member country and territory representatives. If participants choose to travel by a route other than the one proposed, all additional costs will be at their own expense. Travel orders cannot be issued until the official nomination has been received. 
	
	
	VISA REQUIREMENTS
	
	16.	A visa to enter New Caledonia is compulsory except for holders of passports of the European Union, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand or the United States of America. Immigration officers will normally request to see return tickets upon arrival in New Caledonia.
	
	17.	Delegates from member countries that have a French Embassy are required by the New Caledonia immigration authorities to obtain their visa from the Embassy in their respective counties prior to their departure. These include delegates from Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. Please note that delegates from these countries cannot be issued with visas on arrival in Nouméa so it is very important that they obtain a visa from the French Embassy in their country before travel.
	
	18.	For delegates from the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu, SPC can arrange for a visa to be issued on arrival in Nouméa. We will require confirmation of the delegate's name, flight number and dates of arrival/departure at the latest by Friday 23rd January 2009. We need at least two full weeks before arrival to organise such a visa.
	
	19.	To facilitate administrative arrangements we will also require passport details of each delegate. We would be very grateful if each delegate can send to the HoF Conference Secretary Hélène Lecomte, by e-mail (helenel at spc.int) or fax (+687 26.38.18), a copy of the photo page of your passport as well as your itineraries. Delegates failing to make prior arrangements will experience difficulty in entering New Caledonia and may risk refusal of entry due to recent changes to immigration procedures.
	
	20.	Transit visas are the responsibility of delegates. However, SPC may be able to assist, through a letter of introduction, if required.
	
	
MEETING CONTACTS 

*	Official nominations to: Dr Jimmie Rodgers, Director General, SPC (email: c/- HeleneL at spc.int), fax +687 263818)
*	Administrative issues, visa documentation, hotel bookings etc: Helene Lecomte, Secretary, Marine Resources Division (email: HeleneL at spc.int; tel +687 26 09 53, fax +687 263818).
*	Agenda items, papers, other enquiries etc: Lindsay Chapman, Coastal Fisheries Programme Manager (email: LindsayC at spc.int; fax +687 263818) and/or John Hampton, Oceanic Fisheries Programme Manager (email: JohnH at spc.int)


INSURANCE

21.	The Secretariat of the Pacific Community does not insure participants while attending the meetings or during travel to and from New Caledonia and will not be responsible for any expenses arising out of sickness, injury, other disability or loss of life. It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel is covered by insurance.





Dr Tim Adams
for Director General

Original text:  English