United States Coast Guard
For the first time since the Registry began operations, our vessels have not incurred any detention in the USA during 2003 - 2006.    The U.S. Coast Guard 3 year rolling Detention Rate has dropped from 23.08% in 2001 to 0.00% in 2006. Consequently, on 23rd March 2006, our Registry was notified by the United States Coast Guard that it had qualified for its Quality Shipping for the 21st Century (QUALSHIP 21) Program.  Belize/IMMARBE is one of only nine out of 166 Flag States/Ship Registries in the world holding this qualification in 2007 and the only one in Central America.

Paris MOU on Port State Control
Our 3 year rolling average Detention Rate fell from 24.00% in 2001 with an Excess Factor of 5.57% to 8.77% in 2005 with an Excess Factor of 0.98%. As the result of this improvement, Belize was placed in the Grey List of the Paris MOU in 2006 together with other prominent Registries such as Panama, Japan, Russian Federation. Its Detention Rate in 2006 is 9.49% with an Excess Factor of 1.22.

Tokyo MOU on Port State Control
Our 3 year rolling Detention Rate fell from 27.49% in 2001 to 15.39% in 2005. For 2006, it stood at 12.74%. 

• Deregistering non-compliant vessels:6 vessels which were trading in the Paris MOU and 12 vessels which were trading in the Tokyo MOU during 2006 which had a poor detention record and whose Owners failed to take the necessary preventive actions/improvements in maintenance etc required by our Administration, were deregistered.
  
• Intensifying our Flag State Inspections:  This entails an increase in the number of Inspectors and the location thereof e.g. in smaller ports which have been identified as being frequently visited by certain vessels. Also, we have identified particular vessel types, individual vessels and their operators, which we will target.   This initiative may result in more deregistrations.  Furthermore, the monitoring of the performance of our Flag State Inspectors has been intensified. Any PSC detainable deficiencies found within 3 months after a Flag State Inspection may constitute possible grounds for dismissal of a Flag State Inspector. Also, we have distributed to them our analysis of detentions in 2006 which highlights those deficiencies which incurred the highest number of detentions and requested them to pay particular attention to those areas.
• Writing to each of our Recognized Organizations with regard to vessels which they individually survey on our behalf.  We have drawn their particular attention to vessels which have incurred detentions, our analysis of the types of deficiencies which have been the cause of the majority of detentions in our fleet and instructing pro-active actions in the prevention of such detentions.

IMMARBE has made considerable improvements in its PSC detention records since 2001 and is committed to attaining the White Lists of all MOUs on Port State Control in 2009.

The Quality Management System for our Registry was accredited in 2002 by ANSI-RAB as compliant with ISO 9002. This encompasses Ship Registration Endorsement Certificates of Seafarers, Statutory Certification and Fishing Vessel Administration. As the result of an audit in December 2003, we were recertified by ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (USA) in accordance with the latest Quality System Standard ISO 9001-2000.

IMMARBE has always supported the voluntary IMO Menber State Audit Scheme initiative and had submitted recommendations to the IMO in connection with implementation of the Scheme as well as through its participation in the IMO Correspondence Group established for that purpose. On 13th March 2007, we received confirmation in writing that the Belize Port Authority was also willing to participate, thus enabling Belize to volunteer for this Audit which covers Flag State, Port State and Coastal State responsibilities. Consequently on 19th March 2007, we announced that Belize has decided to volunteer for the Voluntary IMO Member State Audit Scheme. The formal notification to the IMO by the Government of Belize is dated 7th August 2007.

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
During ICCAT’s 18th Regular Meeting which was held in Dublin on 17th – 24st November 2003, the Commission reviewed the regulatory measures introduced by our High Seas Fishing Act 2003 and the strict enforcement measures implemented by Immarbe during the past 2 years which included the deregistration of some 513 non-compliant fishing vessels. As the result of this review, ICCAT decided to confirm the lifting of all existing sanctions against Belize in respect of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna and Swordfish with effect from 1st January 2004. Also the EU lifted its fishing sanctions against Belize in April 2004. We acceded to the ICCAT Convention in July 2005 thereby becoming a Contracting Party of ICCAT. We have secured quotas from ICCAT for tuna and tuna-like species which we allocate to our fishing vessels.

Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)

• At its 10th Session which was held in Goa on 22nd – 26th May 2006, this Commission was satisfied that IMMARBE’s fishing vessels are properly regulated, monitored and controlled, thus conforming with the accepted international Conventions/ Agreements and norms as well as their own Regulations. Consequently, IMMARBE’s fishing vessels were placed on their Official Register of Vessels authorized to fish in their Convention area and Belize was granted Co-operating non-Contracting Party Status of this Commission.
• At the 11th Session which was held in Mauritius on 13th – 18th May 2007, Belize was admitted as a Full Member/Contracting Party of IOTC. Also, its Director General, Mr. Angelo Mouzouropoulos was unanimously elected Vice-Chairman of IOTC’s Compliance Committee – itself an acknowledgement of the successful implementation of conservation and management measures on IMMARBE’s High Seas Fishing Fleet.

The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
At its 75th Meeting which was held in Cancun on 25th – 29th June 2006, this Commission reviewed IMMARBE’s regulatory systems with a positive result. Consequently, IMMARBE’s Co-operating non-Contracting Party Status of this Commission was renewed. At the same time, it had acceded to the IATTC “Convention for the Strengthening of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Established by the 1949 Convention between the United States of America and the Republic of Costa Rica (Antigua Convention)”. Belize will become a Contracting Party latest by when the IATTC “Antigua Convention” comes into force which is expected to be in 2009

North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
At the 25th Annual Meeting of NEAFC which was held in London on 13th- 17th November 2006, Belize was admitted as a Cooperating non-Contracting Party.

Adherence/accession to Fishing Conventions/Agreements
On 8th July 2005, Belize issued instruments of adherence/acceptance of:

Also, in accordance with Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article VI of the FAO “Compliance Agreement”, we have sent to the FAO our detailed list of all fishing vessels operating worldwide.This is updated on a monthly basis.

• As Director General of IMMARBE, the undersigned was invited to deliver speeches on “improving the performance of a Flag State” and related topics at:

• Conferences on “Port State Control” which were held in London, 5th - 6th December 2001 & 29th - 30th September 2003.
• At the “Mare Forum” Conference which was held in Athens, 19th – 20th September 2002..
• - At the International Fisheries Compliance Conference which was held Brussels, 29th – 30th September 2004.
• - At the World Maritime University in Malmö, Sweden, on 17th October 2005.
  
  Also, in November 2006, the FAO requested us to write a thesis on the reform of our fishing activities on the High Seas for use as a template to assist other developing nations.