The FiTI International Board is the global supervisory body of the initiative.
The FiTI International Board reflects a multi-stakeholder composition. In accordance with the constitution of the FiTI association, the FiTI International Board comprises of the FiTI Chair and 18 voting Board Members, equally distributed among full members from the three stakeholder groups:
- Government sector: a total of six individuals nominated by public sector institutions;
- Business sector: a total of six individuals nominated by private sector organisations, evenly distributed between industrial/large-scale and the small-scale/artisanal marine fisheries sector;
- Social sector: a total of six individuals nominated by organisations that serve society at large.
The FiTI International Board is presided and represented by its Chair, which does not count towards the total number of seats.
Representatives from intergovernmental organisations, regional development banks, development agencies, other relevant organisations, as well as individual experts may be invited by the FiTI International Board to attend FiTI Board meetings as observers.
Meetings of the FiTI International Board are regarded as general meetings of the members of the association.
Responsibilities of the FiTI International Board
The FiTI International Board oversees the activities of the FiTI through regular Board meetings and Board Circulars, including:
- Assessing candidate applications of countries;
- Evaluating the performance of countries against the FiTI Standard based on validations;
- Establishing mechanisms to collect and address complaints, resolve disagreements, and act if countries are deemed non-compliant;
- Overseeing and guiding the work of the FiTI International Secretariat through annual workplans and bylaws;
- Appointing the Executive Director of the FiTI International Secretariat;
- Supporting the FiTI International Secretariat in outreach and fundraising activities;
- Agreeing on the arrangements for FiTI global conferences;
- Approving the annual budget, financial statement and audited reports of the FiTI;
- Electing new members of the FiTI, which serve as International Board members;
- Electing the FiTI Chair of the FiTI International Board;
- Enhancing the FiTI Standard over time;
- Promoting transparency and multi-stakeholder participation in marine fisheries governance; and
- Adhering to the FiTI Global Code of Conduct.
The members of the FiTI International Board, except for the FiTI Chair, do not receive remuneration in return for performing their board member duties.
Current members of the FiTI International Board
Chair
| Name | Current term | No. of term(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Valeria Merino | 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2022 | 1. |
Representatives of the Government sector
| Name | Role | Organisation | Current term | No. of term(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ylva Mattsson | Senior Analyst, International Affairs | Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| Philippe Michaud | Special Advisor to the Blue Economy | Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, Seychelles | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| Mohamed Salem Nany | Director General of Public Investments and Economic Cooperation | Ministry of Economy and Finance, Mauritania | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| [VACANT] | ||||
| [VACANT] | ||||
| [VACANT] |
Representatives of the Business sector
| Name | Role | Organisation | Current term | No. of term(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Biryukov | President | Association of Russian Ship-owners in West Africa | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| Francisco Leotte | Group Seafood Sustainability Technical Manager | Thai Union Europe | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| Gaoussou Gueye | President | African Confederation of Artisanal Fisheries Professional Organizations (CAOPA) | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| [VACANT] | ||||
| [VACANT] | ||||
| [VACANT] |
Representatives of the Social Sector
| Name | Role | Organisation | Current term | No. of term(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francisco J. Marí | Bread for the World | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. | |
| Nedwa Nech | President | Mauritanie2000 | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| Alfred Schumm | Director Innovation, Sciences, Technologies & Solutions | WWF Germany | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| Ahmed Senhoury | Executive Director | Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation (PRCM) | 26 June 2021 – 31 December 2021 | 1. |
| Eduardo Rolón | Executive Director | Causa Natura | 24 January 2020 – 23 January 2023 | 2. |
| [VACANT] |
Observers
African Development Bank, represented by Ms Salimata Soumare, Senior Natural Resources Governance Officer at African Natural Resources Centre
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, represented by Mr Marcio Castro de Souza, Senior Fishery Officer – International Trade
Open Government Partnership, represented by Mr Theophilous Chiviru, Regional Lead for Africa and the Middle East
The World Bank, represented by Mr Julien Million, Senior Fisheries Specialist – Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy
FiTI International Board meetings
FiTI International Board Circulars
Relevant posts
- Call for 2021 membership election to the FiTI association
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) is expanding its membership and is looking for 7 new International Board members who are passionate about shaping the global agenda for transparency and multi-stakeholder participation in fisheries management. - FiTI Board approves indefinite suspension of annual country contributions
Victoria, 29 April 2021. The International Board of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) approved today an indefinite suspension of annual financial contributions from participating countries, starting 1 May 2021. - FiTI Board approves COVID-19 induced 3-year moratorium on annual contributions
Victoria, 7 September 2020. The International Board of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) has announced today its approval of granting countries a three-year moratorium (2020 – 2022) regarding annual financial contributions, due to the current global COVID-19 pandemic. - Valeria Merino appointed as new Chair of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI)
Berlin/Victoria – 28 October 2019. The International Board of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) appointed today Dr. Valeria Merino as the 2nd Chair of the FiTI. - FiTI Board takes key decisions for the way forward
BERLIN – 12-13 December 2018. During its 5th meeting, the International Board of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) discussed the current status of the initiative and made a number of important decisions: - 2nd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: Launching the first FiTI International Board
INDONESIA, 27 April 2017; The 1st FiTI International Board was launched at the 2nd International Conference of the FiTI on April 27, 2017.