Reference for relevant area (RA) code in ERS Annex
RA code is used in the TRA, COE and SRC declarations and in SPE sub-declaration.
Depending on context this item (RA) to be either:
1. The general FAO area/ICES area in which the majority of the landed catch was taken (i.e. 27.3.24 [or
III24] for the ICES subdivision 24 in the Baltic sea, 21.1F[or 1F] for NAFO division 21.1F etc) or
2. The specific ICES statistical rectangle within which the majority of the catch was taken eg for a 24
hour catch report.
If statistical area is split in 2 or more parts where each part has different legal status (RFMO, EEZ, high
sea) it is advisable to start with two letter abbreviations (eg NE for NEAFC, NA for NAFO, HS for high
seas; if country EEZ - then ISO alpha-2 country code, for instance: HS34.2 or MR34.2)
FAO Major Fishing Areas
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
Area
18
21
27
31
34
37
41
47
48
51
57
58
61
67
71
77
81
87
88
(Arctic Sea)
(Atlantic, Northwest)
(Atlantic, Northeast)
( Atlantic, Western Central)
(Atlantic, Eastern Central)
(Mediterranean and Black Sea)
(Atlantic, Southwest)
(Atlantic, Southeast)
(Atlantic, Antarctic)
( Indian Ocean, Western)
(Indian Ocean, Eastern)
(Indian Ocean, Antarctic and Southern)
(Pacific, Northwest)
(Pacific, Northeast)
(Pacific, Western Central)
(Pacific, Eastern Central)
(Pacific, Southwest)
(Pacific, Southeast)
(Pacific, Antarctic)
Regional breakdown of FAO Major Marine Fishing Areas
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For statistical purposes, 27 major fishing areas (including 19 marine areas) have been internationally
established to date.
The internationally accepted standard practice is to divide each of the major fishing areas into:
first:
second:
third:
subareas
divisions
subdivisions
Such systems of subareas, divisions and subdivisions have been successfully developed and implemented
in the Atlantic Ocean by ICNAF, the predecessor of NAFO, for major fishing area 21, by ICES for area
27, by CECAF for area 34, by GCFM for area 37, by CARPAS for area 41, by ICSEAF for area 47,
51.8 and 58.7, by CPPS for area 87 in the Pacific Ocean, and by CCAMLR for areas 48, 58 and 88 in
the Antarctic. The Joint Working Party of Experts on Indian Ocean and Western Pacific Fishery
Statistics (JWP) by 1978 established subareas for statistical purposes through the IOFC (for areas 51
and 57) and through the IPFC (for areas 71 and 81). (Note: IPFC in 1993 was renamed APFIC - AsiaPacific
Fishery
Commission)
Only in three FAO Major Fishing Areas a breakdown by subareas has not yet been established.
http://www.fao.org/figis/servlet/static?dom=ontology&xml=sectionH.xml
FAO Major Fishing Areas for Statistical Purposes are arbitrary areas, the boundaries of which were
determined in consultation with international fishery agencies on various considerations, including (i)
the boundary of natural regions and the natural divisions of oceans and seas; (ii) the boundaries of
adjacent statistical fisheries bodies already established in inter-governmental conventions and treaties;
(iii) existing national practices; (iv) national boundaries; (v) the longitude and latitude grid system; (vi)
the distribution of the aquatic fauna; and (vii) the distribution of the resources and the environmental
conditions
within
an
area.
The rationale of the FAO Major Fishing Areas has been that the areas should, as far as possible,
coincide with the areas of competence of other fishery commissions when existing. This system
facilitates comparison of data, and improves the possibilities of cooperation in statistical matters in
general.
For various historical reasons the Areas in the Pacific were not so developed, with the exception of Area
87 corresponding to the CPPS area of competence. The boundaries of fishing areas could be modified
and adjusted according to new requirements, but it is inadvisable to introduce too frequent amendments
to the already established areas. Revisions to boundaries should only be introduced after consultation
with all the national fishery authorities and fishery agencies concerned with the areas under revision.
Unless there are other over-riding reasons, boundaries lines should be drawn along 5° lines of longitude
and latitude.
http://www.fao.org/figis/servlet/static?dom=ontology&xml=sectionG.xml
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Table: FAO major fishing areas split up to the smallest available unit
Area
18
21
Subarea
Arctic
Northwest
Sea
Atlantic
Not defined
Division
Not defined


0.A
0.B
Subarea 21.1






1.A
1.B
1.C
1.D
1.E
1.F
Subarea 21.2









2.G
2.H
2.J
3
3.K
3.L
3.M
3.N
3.O

3.P
Subarea 21.4








4.R
4.S
4.T
4.V
4.V.n
4.V.s
4.W
4.X
Subarea 21.5


5.Y
5.Z








6.A
6.B
6.C
6.D
6.E
6.F
6.G
6.H
Subarea 21.0
Subarea 21.3
Subdivision
Not defined
3.P.n
3.P.s
5.Z.e
5.Z.w
Subarea 21.6
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Subunit 5.Z.u
Subunit 5.Z.c
27
Northeast
Atlantic
Barents Sea (Subarea I)
Norwegian Sea, Spitzbergen, and Bear
Island (Subarea II)
Norwegian Sea (Division IIa)
Spitzbergen and Bear Island (Division IIb)
Skagerrak, Kattegat, Sound, Belt Sea, and
Baltic Sea ( the Sound and Belt together
known also as the Transition Area)
(Subarea III)
Skagerrak and Kattegat (Division IIIa)
Sound and Belt Sea or the Transition Area (Divisions
IIIb, c)
2 subdivisions:
Belt Sea (Subdivision 22) - 3.c.22
Sound (Subdivision 23) - 3.b.23
Baltic Sea (Division IIId)
9 subdivisions:
Baltic West of Bornholm (Subdivision 24) - 3.d.24
Southern Central Baltic _ West (Subdivision 25) - 3.d.25
Southern Central Baltic - East (Subdivision 26) - 3.d.26
West of Gotland (Subdivision 27) - 3.d.27
East of Gotland or Gulf of Riga (Subdivision 28) - 3.d.28
Archipelago Sea (Subdivision 29) 3.d.29
Bothnian Sea (Subdivision 30) - 3.d.30
Bothnian Bay (Subdivision 31) - 3.d.31
Gulf of Finland (Subdivision 32) - 3.d.32
North Sea (Subarea IV)
3 divisions:

Northern North Sea (Division IVa)

Central North Sea (Division IVb)

Southern North Sea (Division IVc)
Iceland and Faeroes Grounds (Subarea V)
Iceland Grounds (Division Va)
Faeroes Grounds (Division Vb)
Rockall, Northwest Coast of Scotland and
North Ireland, (the Northwest Coast of
Scotland and North Ireland also known as
the West of Scotland) (Subarea VI)
Irish Sea, West of Ireland, Porcupine
Bank, Eastern and Western English
Channel, Bristol Channel, Celtic Sea North
and South, and Southwest of Ireland East and West (Subarea VII)
2 divisions:

Northwest Coast of Scotland and North Ireland or
as the West of Scotland (Division VIa)

Rockall (Division VIb)
15 divisions:

Irish Sea (Division VIIa)

West of Ireland (Division VIIb)

Porcupine Bank (Division VIIc)

Eastern English Channel (Division VIId)

Western English Channel (Division VIIe)

Bristol Channel (Division VIIf)

Celtic Sea North (Division VIIg)

Celtic Sea South ( Division VIIh)

Southwest of Ireland - East (Division VIIj)

Southwest of Ireland - West (Division VIIk)
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2 subdivisions:
Faeroe Plateau (Subdivision Vb1)
Faeroe Bank (Subdivision Vb2)
Bay of Biscay (Subarea VIII)
Portuguese Waters (Subarea IX)





Bay of Biscay - North (Division VIIIa)
Bay of Biscay - Central (Division VIIIb)
Bay of Biscay - South (Division VIIIc)
Bay of Biscay - Offshore (Division VIIId)
West of Bay of Biscay (Division VIIIe)


Portuguese Waters - East (Division IXa)
Portuguese Waters - West (Division IXb)


Northeast Greenland (Division XIVa)
Southeast Greenland (Division XIVb)
Azores Grounds (Subarea X)
Subarea XI
North of Azores (Subarea XII)
Subarea XIII
East Greenland (Subarea XIV)
31
34
37
Western
Eastern
Central
Atlantic
Central
Atlantic
Mediterranean and Black Sea
41
Southwest
Atlantic
47
Southeast
Atlantic
48
Atlantic,
Antarctic
51
Western
Indian
Ocean
57
Eastern
Indian
Ocean
58
Indian Ocean, Antarctic and
Southern
61
Northwest
Pacific
67
Northeast
Pacific
71
Western
Central
Pacific
77
Eastern
Central
Pacific
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81
Southwest
Pacific
87
Southeast
Pacific
88
Pacific,
Antarctic
Comments to the table:
1. There are 19 major fishing areas in table. Area 21 and area 27 (main fishing areas for EU fishermen) are split in more detailed statistical units;
2. The text in blue is interactive and you can surf directly to the map and description of particular area, sub-area, division or subdivision on FAO
website.
The reference below could be also used to deal with the FAO area codes:
http://www.oceansatlas.org/servlet/CDSServlet?status=ND0zMTExLjE2NDE3JjY9ZW4mMzM9bWFwcyZzaG93Q2hpbGRyZW49dHJ1ZSYzNz1pbmZv#
koinfo
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