The Asia-Pacific Fisheries Commission was established in 1948 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as an Indopapacific Fisheries Council. APFIC is a regional FAO body created by FAO at the request of its members. The secretariat is made available and supported by FAO. APFIC (Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission) has more than 50 years of history and is one of the oldest regional fishing organizations (or RFBs). In February 1948, the FAO Director-General invited interested FAO member governments to a meeting in Baguio City, Philippines, to discuss the creation of a regional fisheries development support structure in the Asia-Pacific region. At that meeting, an agreement was drawn up for the establishment of the Pacific Fisheries Council by accredited delegates from eight nations who participated in the meeting, namely Burma (now the union of Myanmar), China, France, India, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The agreement came into force on November 9, 19484. The fourth FAO meeting (Washington DC, USA, 15-29 November 1948) approved the creation of this regional fisheries body entitled “Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council (IPFC) ” in accordance with Article XIV of the FAO Constitution. 4. The creation of committees and working groups covered by paragraphs 2 and 3 detracts from the availability of the necessary funds in the relevant chapter of the approved Organization`s budget; determining this availability is made by the Director General. Prior to any decision on the costs of setting up committees and working groups, the Commission received a report from the Director General on the administrative and financial implications of these committees and working groups. The 17th session or IPFC approved the amendment to the council agreement under which the organization will be called the Indopapacific Fisheries Commission. Contracting governments that have a mutual interest in properly developing and using the living aquatic resources of the Asia-Pacific region and who wish to promote the achievement of these goals through international cooperation through the creation of an Asia-Pacific Fisheries Commission agree (c) to examine the economic and social aspects of the fishing and aquaculture industry and to recommend measures to improve the living and working conditions of fishermen and other workers in these sectors and, in other ways, to improve the living and working conditions of fishermen and other workers in these sectors and, in other ways, Improve the contribution of any fishing industry Further changes to the agreement were made at the 24th session of the Commission (Bangkok, Thailand, 23 November-4).
The title of the agreement has been changed to the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) and the tasks and responsibilities of the Commission have been changed, giving greater importance to sustainable development and administration. These amendments were approved by the FAO Council at its 100 and 7th sessions on 21 November 1994 (paragraph 189 of the Council`s report). The last essential amendments to the agreement and the internal regulation were adopted by APFIC at its twenty-fifth session (Seoul, Republic of Korea, October 1996). During this session, the Commission approved the recommendation of its Executive Committee to amend the revised Agreement and Internal Regulations again at its 24th session. The aim was to bring them into line with the principles and procedures that were to govern the agreements and agreements reached in accordance with Articles XIV and XV of the FAO Constitution, as well as committees and committees established in accordance with Article VI of the Constitution (Part R of FAO`s Basic Texts, revised by resolutions 8/91 and 13/93 of the November 1991 and 1993 FAO Conference).