This report presents an overview of some of the key steps and design choices that fishery managers need to consider when designing and implementing an EM program. There have been a handful of reports that summarize the current status of EM in fisheries, and toolkits that outline a process for developing an EM program. However, none of them have specifically focused on the unique challenges of designing and implementing an EM program in an RFMO context, which covers numerous countries, a wide range of vessel sizes, gear types, fishing locations, and catch compositions.
This report explores the necessary elements of a well designed and effective EM program and explores unique considerations for fisheries that are managed by an RFMO. This is not a prescriptive recipe for creating an EM program, but a discussion of some of the important elements of an EM program and an overview of the design options that may be considered. This document can serve as a resource for a variety of stakeholders such as political leaders, staff of RFMOs and government fishery agencies, and industry members, who are interested in the applicability of EM in RFMO fisheries and the key decisions involved in developing and implementing a successful EM program.
