The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC), originally called the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (IPFC) is a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Article XIV Regional Fisheries Body which covers fisheries, aquaculture and related aquatic resource issues in the Asia-Pacific region. APFIC functions as a Regional Consultative Forum raising awareness amongst member countries, fisheries organizations and fisheries professionals in the Asia-Pacific region.
In Article VI of the APFIC Agreement the 'APFIC area' is described as:
Area - The Commission shall carry out the functions and responsibilities set forth in Article IV in the Asia-Pacific Area.
Comment
This description is a broad definition of the area where APFIC will conduct its work. APFIC is competent in both marine and inland waters of its area of competence. The abolition of the Indian Ocean Fishery Commission (IOFC) and its Committee for the Development and Management of Fisheries in the Bay of Bengal (BOBC) in June 1999 resulted in closer involvement of APFIC in this sub-region, as the functions of BOBC was transferred to APFIC by the FAO Council’s Resolution 1/116 (Report of the 116th Session of the FAO Council). This was subsequently endorsed by the 26th Session of APFIC in Beijing 1998.
There is no change to the APFIC agreement in terms of membership, area of competence and functions of the Commission, there have been subsequent recommendations by the Commission to clarify where its focus of work should lie. The Report APFIC Ad hoc Legal and Financial Working Group proposed that APFIC concentrate its activities on three subregions of the Asia-Pacific:
As APFIC adapts to the changing needs of fisheries and aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific, its role and function have been clarified as part of the development of a Strategic Plan for the Commission.