Page 240 - 《水产学报》2025年第8期

何妤如 水产学报, 2025, 49(8): 089319

able resource use, further sparking divisions among At its inception, its sole mandate was to conduct
States. scientific research and to collect and interpret
In the design of organizational structure, the empirical data. As international instruments for
“utilizationists” such as the U.S., Japan, and Russia global sustainable fisheries governance emerged,
advocate for the preservation of existing regional the members of the Commission and fishing actors
scales of governance, recognizing the expertise and in the EPO increasingly realized the need to scale
authority of RFMOs in fisheries-related matters and up the organization’s responsibility from the bilat-
seeking to minimize global interference; the “balan- eral to the regional level, so the Antigua Conven-
cingists” like the Pacific SIDs prefer a hybrid model tion was adopted in 2003 after five years of negoti-
with scaled-up authority to a lightweight global ation. On entry into force of the Antigua Conven-
mechanism, while RFMOs retain autonomy to tion in 2010, the IATTC transformed itself from a
implement regionally-tailored and context-specific scientific research body to a full-fledged RFMO,
CMMs; and the “conservationists” represented by and the Commission’s authority over the conserva-
the EU support a stronger global authority that tion and management of tuna and tuna-like species
would standardize governance structures and estab- was strengthened, thus upscaling its functions from
lish unified regulatory frameworks, and thus dilute
bilateral communication to multilateral governance.
regional governance power. Regardless of the
Institutional modernization. In order to
would-be-adopted model, there will likely be ongo-
align with contemporary fisheries management
ing contention between regional pragmatism (e.g.,
standards, the ICCAT adopted a Protocol of
RFMOs) and global environmentalism (e.g., the
Amendment during its 26th Annual Meeting in
BBNJ Agreement) over normative authority in areas [38]
2019 . This constitutional revision implements
such as rule-making, scientific interpretation,
procedural modernization through multiple trans-
decision allocation, and implementation responsibil-
formative approaches. The Commission adjusts
ities.
operational scales and decision-making process,

3.4 Scaling practicalities including the establishment of an arbitration mech-
anism for dispute resolution. The reforms brought
As mentioned above, scaling in RFMOs rep-
the ICCAT in line with modern philosophies like
resents a strategic recalibration of jurisdictional
the ecosystem-based approach and precautionary
boundaries and governance levels by States and
regional actors, enacted in response to evolving principle. Furthermore, the organization expanded
internal and external pressures, including geopolit- its management scope to include oceanic, epipela-
ical shifts and climate change impacts. This process gic, and highly migratory species such as sharks
seeks to optimize multi-objective coordination and mobulid rays. Collectively, this shift catalyzes
through scale adjustments while instituting adapt- the ICCAT’s evolution from single-species man-
ive response mechanisms, ultimately enhancing agement toward holistic marine ecosystem gov-
economic viability, environmental sustainability, ernance, activating reconfiguration across both
and social welfare. The following presents an ana- institutional and biological scales.

lysis of typical cases from a regional fisheries man- Downscaling Refined zoning. The Com-
agement perspective: mission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine

Upscaling Expanded functions. The Living Resources (CCAMLR) is an active manipu-
IATTC Commission has its origins in a bilateral lator of emerging ocean management scales, marked
convention signed by the U.S. and Costa Rica in by its transition from broad-scale coordination to
1949 for the shared benefit of yellowfin tuna and finely tuned, small-scale management. It is conser-
skipjack stocks of the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). vationally mandated to set strict catch limits, pion-

https://www.china-fishery.cn 中国水产学会主办 sponsored by China Society of Fisheries
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