Report and documentation of the Expert Consultation on Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas

This Expert Consultation was convened in order to address continuing global concerns regarding deep-sea fisheries in the high seas and to build on outputs from previous conferences. The impetus for the consultation also emerged from recommendations of the twenty-sixth session of COFI (2005). Four main aspects of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas were highlighted: the overall resource, management of the resource, legal issues, and high seas marine protected areas. The consultation sought to improve knowledge of management issues and constraints. Activities that build on this information will follow in 2007 and 2008. This document contains an overview of the meeting and the main conclusions and recommendations developed by the participants. In addition the four background papers that were commissioned for the consultation, as well as complementary presentations and documents presented in Bangkok are included.