Federated States of Micronesia Arrangement for Regional Fisheries Access

This Agreement introduces measures to facilitate and control the access to the exclusive economic zones and fisheries zones of the Parties to this Agreement ("Arrangement Area"). The Agreement harmonizes access conditions and provides for a regional access licence. The aims of these measures are to promote greater participation by national of the Parties in fisheries in general and the exploitation of tuna resources in the Central and Western Pacific in particular. The Agreement requires the Director of the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency ("Administrator") to maintain a Register of Eligible Fishing Vessels where vessels that meet established criteria and are proposed to be entered by a Party to this Agreement shall be entered. The operator of a registered vessel may apply for a regional access licence authorizing the vessel to fish in the Arrangement Area. Other provision of this Arrangement concern consultation, information, an observer programme, cooperation in enforcement and joint surveillance, distribution of payments received by the Administrator, settlement of disputes and matters of miscellaneous character. The Annexes set out the criteria for eligibility of vessels and procedures for the granting of a regional access licence and contain rules relative to various operations in the Arrangement Area.