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

<p dir="ltr">The Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) is beginning a<br>new study into the management of data in transboundary fisheries by regional fisheries<br>management organisations (RFMO. The purpose of this project is to: identify current practice<br>for determining whether data is defined as confidential or public domain; and analyse<br>whether current practices are consistent, supportive or incompatible with the needs and<br>goals of fisheries management and seafood traceability.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">This preliminary paper is intended to support discussions and analyse by the research team<br>on the sidelines of the WCPFC. It is draft review of the international definitions and standards<br>for confidentiality of data, and attempts to identify what type of fisheries data should be<br>confidential based on international standards.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr">The draft paper reviews the current practices of Pacific RFMOs that share boundaries and<br>data interests: Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (<b>WCPFC</b>), Northern Pacific<br>Fisheries Commission (<b>NPFC</b>), Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (<b>IATTC</b>) and the<br>Southern Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (<b>SPRFMO</b>) and compares<br>RFMO practice to the international standard. The paper then summarises RFMO practice and<br>the application of confidentiality principles and raises further questions for discussion.</p><p><br></p><p dir="ltr"><br></p>