y Tobago, el 1 y 2 de Diciembre de 2015. Al taller asistieron 48 participantes de 25 países miembros, como también de organizaciones aliadas, expertos internacionales y la FAO. El taller discutió los resultados preliminares de un estudio independiente sobre una evaluación costo beneficio para las tres opciones de re-orientación estratégica de la COPACO, siendo estas: 1. La COPACO deberá permanecer como una comisión consultora regional como un órgano bajo el Artículo VI de la FAO. 2. La COPACO deberá convertirse en una Organización Regional de Ordenamiento Pesquero (OROP) bajo el Artículo XIV de la FAO, con el mandato de tomar decisiones jurídicamente vinculantes. 3. La COPACO deberá convertirse en una Organización Regional de Ordenamiento Pesquero (OROP) independiente de la FAO (una Organización Intergubernamental –OIG- por si misma). Con el mandato de mandato de tomar decisiones jurídicamente vinculantes.

The Second WECAFC Strategic Reorientation Workshop was held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 1 and 2 December 2015. The workshop was attended by 48 participants from 25 member countries as well as partner organizations, international experts and FAO. The workshop discussed the preliminary outcomes of an independent cost-benefit assessment of the three options for strategic reorientation of WECAFC, being: 1. WECAFC should remain a regional level fisheries advisory commission as a FAO Article VI body. 2. WECAFC should become a regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) as an FAO Article XIV body, with a mandate to make legally binding decisions. 3. WECAFC should become a regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) independent of FAO (an Intergovernmental Organization –IGO- by itself) with a mandate to make legally binding decisions. The independent cost-benefit assessment, which accompanies this report, is published as FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No 1117. The workshop recognized the value of a transformation of WECAFC into an RFMO for the sustainability of fisheries in the region and that the existing subregional organizations (Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism [CRFM] and the Organization for fisheries and Aquaculture of Central America [OSPESCA]) should be essential components of the RFMO and as such be embedded in its governance structure.