WCPFC Information Paper: Defining Confidentiality Data and the Public Domain - Preliminary Paper

The Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) is beginning a
new study into the management of data in transboundary fisheries by regional fisheries
management organisations (RFMO. The purpose of this project is to: identify current practice
for determining whether data is defined as confidential or public domain; and analyse
whether current practices are consistent, supportive or incompatible with the needs and
goals of fisheries management and seafood traceability.

This preliminary paper is intended to support discussions and analyse by the research team
on the sidelines of the WCPFC. It is draft review of the international definitions and standards
for confidentiality of data, and attempts to identify what type of fisheries data should be
confidential based on international standards.

The draft paper reviews the current practices of Pacific RFMOs that share boundaries and
data interests: Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), Northern Pacific
Fisheries Commission (NPFC), Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and the
Southern Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) and compares
RFMO practice to the international standard. The paper then summarises RFMO practice and
the application of confidentiality principles and raises further questions for discussion.