Overview

A collection of code lists modelling:

Return back to the list of reference data domains.

Administrative data

Identifies the administrative reference data used in IOTC systems, including countries and entities, the list of Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties (CPCs), and the fleets associated with them.

Countries & Territories

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  • Version: 1.0.0
  • Last update: 2023-05-12

Reference codes modelling the flag / reporting country submitting a dataset to the IOTC Secretariat.

Entities

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  • Version: 1.0.0
  • Last update: 2023-05-12

Reference codes modelling the entity submitting a dataset to the IOTC Secretariat. Generally corresponds to a country, but can also reference:

  • the European Union (EUR) submitting data on behalf of one of its flag states;
  • IOTC or IPTP (Indo-Pacific Tuna Development and Management Programme) when historical data were available to these two institutions only;
  • an unknown data provider (NEI).

Fleets

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  • Version: 1.0.34
  • Last update: 2024-01-19

Reference codes modelling the fleets for / by which data have been submitted to the IOTC Secretariat.

CPCs

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  • Version: 1.0.0
  • Last update: 2023-05-12

Reference codes modelling Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties {#CPCs}.

Ports

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  • Version: 1.0.0
  • Last update: 2025-08-25

Geospatial Data

A set of code lists used to model a vessel flag / data reporting country (typically, referenced by ISO-3 code), as well as several different types of irregular Indian Ocean areas of relevance, such as the main IOTC convention sub-areas, the National Jurisdiction Areas of the coastal States, and some irregular areas of statistical relevance at national or regional level (e.g., I.R. Iran coastal sub-areas, large-scale purse seine fishery statistical areas, stock assessment areas, etc.).

The centre coordinates and the ocean area in km2 of each irregular area or regular grid are calculated with respect to the fraction of the theoretical area (potentially overlapping with the mainland) that falls within the IOTC area of competence.

Country Areas

Reference codes modelling the (undisputed) areas of all countries.

Indian Ocean Irregular Areas

These include the various irregular sub-areas in which the Indian Ocean can be subdivided, plus the various National Jurisdiction Areas (NJAs) within it, and any other irregular area defined (and used) for statistical purposes at national and regional level.

Indian Ocean Areas

Reference codes modelling other important areas in which the Indian Ocean might be split (e.g., north-western Indian Ocean, etc.).

Indian Ocean Main Areas

Reference codes modelling the two main areas in which the Indian Ocean is split, i.e., western and eastern Indian Ocean.

Indian Ocean Stock Assessment Areas

Reference codes modelling Indian Ocean areas and sub-areas used for stock assessment purposes.

Indian Ocean National Jurisdiction Areas

The Indian Ocean National Jurisdiction Areas (NJAs) represent areas under national jurisdiction, comprising territorial seas, contiguous zones, and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), spatially restricted to the Indian Ocean (see section Indian Ocean Areas).

The NJAs were sourced from the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) maritime boundaries geodatabase (https://doi.org/10.14284/628) and made available through Marine Regions. The use of these data is subject to the terms, conditions, and disclaimer provided by VLIZ (see the Marine Regions disclaimer at: https://www.marineregions.org/disclaimer.php).

Indian Ocean Coastal Countries

This dataset provides reference codes describing the NJAs of coastal States bordering the Indian Ocean. Disputed areas involving Mayotte, Tromelin, and the Glorioso Islands (Îles Glorieuses) were treated as follows: waters associated with Mayotte (France) with Comoros (FRA_COM_MYT) were attributed to France (FRA), while waters associated with Madagascar with France (MDG_FRA) and France with Madagascar and Mauritius (FRA_MDG_MUS) were attributed to the France Overseas Territories (ATF).

This treatment was adopted to ensure internal consistency with long-standing IOTC statistical practices, whereby catches from these areas have historically been attributed accordingly in national submissions and Secretariat compilations. This approach is applied solely for data management and analytical purposes and does not prejudice the positions of CPCs with respect to sovereignty, jurisdiction, or maritime claims.

IOTC Coastal States

This dataset provides reference codes describing the NJAs of the IOTC coastal States and was developed to support the Technical Committee on Allocation Criteria (TCAC). For the purposes of allocating catches to NJAs within the simulations implemented in the TCAC application, the following assumptions were applied:

  1. For historical reasons, the waters of the Chagos Archipelago, considered here as part of the NJAs of Mauritius, were treated as being under the sovereignty of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GBR), under the administration of the British Indian Ocean Territory prior to 2021. A full Marine Protected Area has been in place since April 2010 and, consequently, no official fisheries catches have been reported from these waters since that date, except for a coastal handline fishery;

  2. Disputed areas involving Mayotte, Tromelin, and the Glorioso Islands (Îles Glorieuses) were treated as follows: waters associated with Mayotte (France) with Comoros (FRA_COM_MYT) were attributed to France (FRA), while waters associated with Madagascar with France (MDG_FRA) and France with Madagascar and Mauritius (FRA_MDG_MUS) were attributed to the France Overseas Territories (ATF). This assumption was adopted to simplify the allocation procedure and to ensure internal consistency with long-standing IOTC statistical practices, whereby catches from these areas have historically been attributed accordingly in national submissions and Secretariat compilations. This treatment is applied solely for analytical purposes within the TCAC application and does not prejudice the positions of CPCs with respect to sovereignty or maritime claims;

  3. Although Mayotte became an overseas department of France in 2011, catches associated with Mayotte are attributed to France in IOTC datasets from 2014 onwards, corresponding to the point at which reporting practices and fleet attribution became consistently aligned with French national submissions. Accordingly, catches taken in the waters of Mayotte during the period 1995–2013 were allocated to the France Overseas Territories (ATF), and to France (FRA) thereafter;

  4. The NJA for the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRN) was defined as the combination of the Iranian NJA (IRN) and the maritime areas subject to dispute with the United Arab Emirates (ARE_IRN) and Iraq (IRQ_IRN);

  5. The NJA for Sudan (SDN) was defined as the combination of the Sudanese NJA (SDN) and the maritime area subject to dispute with Egypt (SDN_EGY );

  6. Catches estimated to have been taken in the NJAs of non-IOTC CPCs – United Arab Emirates (ARE), Bahrain (BHR), Djibouti (DJI), Egypt (EGY), Eritrea (ERI), Iraq (IRQ), Jordan (JOR), Kuwait (KWT), Myanmar (MMR), Qatar (QAT), Saudi Arabia (SAU), and Timor-Leste (TLS), including disputed areas (Eritrea with Djibouti (ERI_DJI) and Qatar with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (QAT_SAU_ARE) – were aggregated under the assigned area OTHER.

Indian Ocean Purse Seine Data Processing Areas

Reference codes modelling the statistical areas used by the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) and its collaborators to produce Indian Ocean purse seine catch estimates through the T3 (‘Traitement des Thons Tropicaux’) process (Pianet et al. 2000).

Indian Ocean Regular Grids

These include the various types of regular grids (generally with the same height and width, in degrees) in which the Indian Ocean can be subdivided. The adopted coding scheme is built on top of of the areal grid system of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics (CWP) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

1°x1° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 1°x1° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the Indian Ocean area.

Due to the large size of the dataset, it is not available for filtering or browsing, but can be downloaded directly as a CSV from here: IO_GRIDS_01x01.

5°x5° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 5°x5° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the Indian Ocean area.

10°x10° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 10°x10° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the Indian Ocean area.

10°x20° Grid

Custom codes for all 10°x20° grids that overlap - at least partially - with the Indian Ocean area.

20°x20° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 20°x20° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the Indian Ocean area.

30°x30° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 30°x30° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the Indian Ocean area.

IOTC Area of Competence

This includes the irregular subdivisions in which the IOTC Area of Competence can be subdivided.

IOTC Areas

Reference codes modelling all important areas in which the IOTC Area of Competence might be split, e.g., north-western, high-seas, etc..

IOTC Main Areas

Reference codes modelling the two main areas in which the IOTC Area of Competence is split, i.e., western and eastern IOTC area.

IOTC Coastal Fisheries Areas

Reference codes modelling irregular areas within the IOTC area of competence for which coastal / artisanal fisheries data can be recorded and reported.

IOTC Regular Grids

These include the various types of regular grids (generally with the same height and width, in degrees) in which the IOTC competence area can be subdivided. The adopted coding scheme is built on top of the FAO / CWP areal grid system.

1°x1° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 1°x1° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

Due to the large size of the dataset, it is not available for filtering or browsing, but can be downloaded directly as a CSV from here: IOTC_GRIDS_01x01.

5°x5° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 5°x5° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

10°x10° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 10°x10° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

10°x20° Grid

Custom codes for all 10°x20° grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

20°x20° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 20°x20° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

30°x30° Grid

CWP areal grid system codes for all 30°x30° regular CWP grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

1°x1° and 5°x5° Grid

Codes for all 1°x1° and 5°x5° grids that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

Due to the large size of the dataset, it is not available for filtering or browsing, but can be downloaded directly as a CSV from here: IOTC_GRIDS_CE_SF.

1°x1° and 5°x5° Grid, Plus Other Important Areas within the IOTC Area of Competence

Codes for all 1°x1° and 5°x5° and areas of importance for coastal / artisanal fisheries that overlap - at least partially - with the IOTC Area of Competence.

Due to the large size of the dataset, it is not available for filtering or browsing, but can be downloaded directly as a CSV from here: IOTC_GRIDS_CE_SF_AR.

Indian Ocean FAO Areas

Subset of all FAO statistical areas located in the Indian Ocean.

This includes: