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, Canada.
Mandate NAFO's overall objective is to contribute through consultation and cooperation to the optimum utilization, rational management and conservation of the fishery resources of the Convention Area. The NAFO Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries applies to most fishery resources of the Northwest Atlantic except salmon, tunas/marlins, whales, and sedentary species (e.g. shellfish). In 2007 NAFO adopted an Amended Convention. It was finally ratified in May 2017 with 3/4 of the Members agreeing to it. The original objective was modernized to include an ecosystem approach to fisheries management. It now expands beyond a sustainable use of the commercial northwest Atlantic fishery resources by committing to also protect the associated marine ecosystems from adverse fisheries effects. NAFO's overall objective is to contribute, through consultation and cooperation, to the optimum utilization, rational management, and conservation of the fishery resources within the Convention Area. The NAFO Convention on Future Multilateral Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries applies to most fishery resources in the Northwest Atlantic, excluding salmon, tunas, marlins, whales, and sedentary species (e.g., shellfish). NAFO's ecosystem-based approach aligns with global fisheries management principles outlined in the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, which emphasizes sustainable and responsible practices (United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, 1995). This framework ensures that marine biodiversity and ecosystem health are preserved alongside commercial fish stock management (Rochet & Rice, 2009; Brodziak & Mueter, 2016). In 2007, NAFO adopted an Amended Convention, which was ratified in May 2017 by three-quarters of its members. The original objective was modernized to include an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, emphasizing an Ecosystem-based fisheries (Rochet et al., 2009). NAFO achieves this through scientific assessment, regulatory measures such as Total Allowable Catch, and comprehensive monitoring systems, including satellite-based Vessel Monitoring and observer programs.This expansion extends beyond the sustainable use of commercial fishery resources to include commitments to protect associated marine ecosystems from the adverse effects of fisheries (Brodziak and Mueter, 2016). Since the ratification of the Amended Convention in 2017, NAFO has implemented an ecosystem approach to fisheries management, which considers the interrelationships between the fish stocks and their environments. This approach aims to ensure not only the sustainability of target species, but also the protection of marine diversity and the health of marine ecosystems in the Northwest Atlantic.
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