![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|||
![]() |
|
|
Print Chapter 2 (PDF 45KB) | < - Report Home < - Chapter 1 : Chapter 3 - > |
Treaty with France concerning cooperation in maritime areas in the
Southern Ocean
Obligations
Discrepancy between the English and French treaty texts
Implementation and costs
Enforcement of the Treaty
Entry into force
Consultation
Future treaty action
Conclusion and recommendation
Treaty with France concerning cooperation in maritime areas in the Southern Ocean |
|
2.1 | The Treaty between the Government of Australia and the Government of the French Republic on cooperation in the maritime areas adjacent to the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF), Heard Island and the McDonald Islands (Canberra, 24 November 2003) (the Treaty) will create a framework to enhance cooperative surveillance of fishing vessels, and encourage scientific research on marine living resources in the ‘Area of Cooperation’ in the Southern Ocean. |
2.2 | The Area of Cooperation will include the neighbouring territorial seas and exclusive economic zones (EEZs) surrounding the Australian territory of Heard Island and the McDonald Islands, and those of the French territories of Kerguelen Islands, Crozet Islands, Saint-Paul Island and Amsterdam Island.1 |
2.3 | The National Interest Analysis (NIA) states that illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean has increased in the last decade.2 The Committee is particularly aware that the Patagonian toothfish has been targeted by foreign fishing vessels in Australia’s EEZ around Heard and the McDonald Islands.3 |
2.4 | As Dr Greg French from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) stated, Australia and France share an interest in protecting the fisheries resources within the Area of Cooperation.4 As the NIA identifies, cooperation between states that share similar concerns about illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the most effective ways to address the problem, particularly in remote areas which experience harsh weather conditions.5 Hence, the Treaty will help combat IUU fishing activity within the Area of Cooperation, which continues to be a serious threat to the maritime environment, and the sustainability of fish stocks that are legitimately harvested by Australian fishing operators.6 |
2.5 | The Committee understands that Australia is a party to treaties with similar objectives, such as that with Papua New Guinea and the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.7 |
![]() |
|
Obligations |
|
2.6 | The Treaty provides for
|
2.7 | Concerning hot pursuits, Dr French identified the Treaty to be of particular importance. Specifically, Article 4 enables a hot pursuit to continue through the territorial sea of the other Party, provided that the other Party has been informed. Dr French advised
|
2.8 | According to the NIA, this provision closes off ‘an avenue for the pursued vessel to break the continuity of the hot pursuit and preventing the legitimate apprehension by the pursuing Party’.10 |
![]() |
|
Discrepancy between the English and French treaty texts |
|
2.9 | The Committee was informed that a discrepancy was ‘discovered’ between the official treaty texts produced by Australia and France.11 |
2.10 | Dr French advised the Committee that the French version included the words ‘and/or any other means’ in the definition of ‘cooperative surveillance missions’, for example
|
2.11 | The Committee understands that the addition would extend the definition to include newly developed technologies. Dr French stated that this
|
2.12 | Furthermore, Dr French informed that
|
2.13 | The NIA states that ‘ France has agreed to the rectification of the two official texts of the Treaty (French, English) so as to reflect the intentions of the parties at the of (sic) negotiation’.15 In contrast, the Committee received evidence at the public hearing indicating that DFAT
|
2.14 | Dr French advised the Committee that DFAT expected to receive confirmation of the rectification prior to the Treaties Committee tabling its advice to the Parliament on the proposed treaty action.17 |
![]() |
|
Implementation and costs |
|
2.15 | The NIA states that the Treaty will be implemented within existing laws and policies relating to IUU fishing activity and that no new legislation will be required.18 |
2.16 | The NIA further states that minor additional costs will result from the implementation of the Treaty.19 DFAT provided the Committee with one example of such costs, that being through the periodic consultations examining the implementation of the Treaty.20 The Committee understands that these costs would not be significant. Dr French advised that the consultation process and associated costs would also arise without the Treaty as ‘ Australia would expect to consult with France on IUU fishing issues in the normal course of events’.21 |
2.17 | In addition, Dr French considered that the Treaty
|
![]() |
|
Enforcement of the Treaty |
|
2.18 | The Committee considered the issues surrounding the enforcement of the Treaty and the associated costs to Australia. |
219 | The Committee was informed of the regular surveillance missions in the Area of Cooperation
|
2.20 | Dr French noted that there had been a number of successful apprehensions over the last few years, and that
|
2.21 | Concerning the Treaty, the Committee heard that
|
2.22 | Dr French advised that ‘significant recouping of the costs is possible’ through the auction and sale of fish stored in the hold of the IUU fishing vessels that have been intercepted. 26 Further
|
2.23 | The Committee was interested in the occurrence of the sighting of IUU fishing vessels that have not resulted in a hot pursuit. Dr French stated
|
![]() |
|
Entry into force |
|
2.24 | Pursuant to article 9, the Treaty will enter into force on the date on which the Parties have notified each other in writing or through diplomatic channels, once their domestic procedures have been completed. |
![]() |
|
Consultation |
|
2.25 | The Committee understands that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry consulted with all Australian fishing industry Management Advisory Committees, the Australian Seafood Industry Council and NGOs represented in the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Consultative Forum.29 The Committee acknowledges the widespread support for the proposed Treaty resulting from the consultation process.30 |
![]() |
|
Future treaty action |
|
2.26 | Annex III of the Treaty enables Parties to conclude further agreements on cooperative surveillance and enforcement operations. The Committee was advised that
|
2.27 | The Committee understands that Australia has developed a text for the new treaty and is currently in consultation with France ‘with a view to concluding the agreement’.32 |
![]() |
|
Conclusion and recommendation |
|
2.28 | The Committee believes that the Treaty is an important mechanism for cooperative surveillance of fishing vessels to address IUU fishing activities in the ‘Area of Cooperation’ in the Southern Ocean. The Committee also supports the furthering of scientific research on valuable marine living resources. |
Recommendation 1The Committee supports the Treaty between the Government of Australia and the Government of the French Republic on cooperation in the maritime areas adjacent to the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF), Heard Island and the McDonald Islands (Canberra, 24 November 2003) and recommends that binding treaty action be taken. |
1 | National Interest Analysis (NIA), para. 5. Back |
2 | NIA, para. 8. Back |
3 | Transcript of Evidence , 26 July 2004 , p. 6 and NIA, para. 8. Back |
4 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 2. Back |
5 | NIA, para. 9. Back |
6 | NIA, para. 7. Back |
7 | NIA, para. 10.Back |
8 | NIA, paras 6 and 10-16.Back |
9 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 3. Back |
10 | NIA, para. 14.Back |
11 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , pp. 3-4. Back |
12 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 4 and 5. Back |
13 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 3. Back |
14 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 3. Back |
15 | NIA, para. 19. Back |
16 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 3. Back |
17 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 6. Back |
18 | NIA, para. 17. Back |
19 | NIA, para. 20. Back |
20 | NIA, para. 20 and Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 6.Back |
21 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 3.Back |
22 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 3. Back |
23 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 5. Back |
24 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 5. See also Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 7.Back |
25 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 7. Back |
26 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 4. Back |
27 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 4. Back |
28 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 4. Back |
29 | NIA - Consultations Annex, p. 1. Back |
30 | NIA - Consultations Annex, pp. 1-2. Back |
31 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 4. Back |
32 | Dr Greg French , Transcript of Evidence, 26 July 2004 , p. 7. Back |
Print Chapter 2 (PDF 45KB) | < - Report Home < - Chapter 1 : Chapter 3 - > |