operations;4. "Flag State" means, unless otherwise indicated:(a) a State whose vessels are entitled to fly its flag, or(b) a regional economic integration organization in which vessels are entitled to fly the flag of a Member State of that regional economic integration organization;5. "Consensus" means the adoption of a decision without voting and without the expression of any stated objection;6. "Parties" means the States and regional economic integration organizations which have consented to be bound by this Convention and for which this Convention is in force, in accordance with the provisions of Articles XXVII, XXIX, and XXX of this Convention;7. "Members of the Commission" means the Parties and any fishing entity which has expressed in accordance with the provisions of Article XXVIII of this Convention its formal commitment to abide by the terms of this Convention and comply with any conservation and management measures adopted pursuant thereto;8. "Regional economic integration organization" means a regional economic integration organization to which its Member States have transferred competence over matters covered by this Convention, including the authority to make decisions binding on its Member States in respect of those matters;9. "1949 Convention" means the Convention between the United States of America and the Republic of Costa Rica for the establishment of an Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission;10. "Commission" means the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission;11. "UNCLOS" means the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982;12. "1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement" means the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, 1995;13. "Code of Conduct" means the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries adopted by the 28th Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in October 1995;14. "AIDCP" means the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program of 21 May 1998.Article IIObjectiveThe objective of this Convention is to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fish stocks covered by this Convention, in accordance with the relevant rules of international law.Article IIIArea of application of the ConventionThe area of application of the Convention (the Convention Area) comprises the area of the Pacific Ocean bounded by the coastline of North, Central, and South America and by the following lines:- the 50 °N parallel from the coast of North America to its intersection with the 150 °W meridian,- the 150 °W meridian to its intersection with the 50 °S parallel, and- the 50 °S parallel to its intersection with the coast of South America.PART IICONSERVATION AND USE OF THE FISH STOCKS COVERED BY THE CONVENTIONArticle IVApplication of the precautionary approach1. The members of the Commission, directly and through the Commission, shall apply the precautionary approach, as described in the relevant provisions of the Code of Conduct and/or the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement, for the conservation, management and sustainable use of fish stocks covered by this Convention.2. In particular, the members of the Commission shall be more cautious when information is uncertain, unreliable or inadequate. The absence of adequate scientific information shall not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take conservation and management measures.3. Where the status of target stocks or non-target or associated or dependent species is of concern, the members of the Commission shall subject such stocks and species to enhanced monitoring in order to review their status and the efficacy of conservation and management measures. They shall revise those measures regularly in the light of new scientific information available.Article VCompatibility of conservation and management measures1. Nothing in this Convention shall prejudice or undermine the sovereignty or sovereign rights of coastal States related to the exploration and exploitation, conservation and management of the living marine resources within areas under their sovereignty or national jurisdiction as provided for in UNCLOS, or the right of all States for their nationals to engage in fishing on the high seas in accordance with UNCLOS.2. The conservation and management measures established for the high seas and those adopted for areas under national jurisdiction shall be compatible, in order to ensure the conservation and management of the fish stocks covered by this Convention.PART IIITHE INTER-AMERICAN TROPICAL TUNA COMMISSIONArticle VIThe Commission1. The members of the Commission agree to maintain, with all its assets and liabilities, and to strengthen the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission established by the 1949 Convention.2. The Commission shall be composed of sections consisting of from one (1) to four (4) Commissioners appointed by each member, who may be accompanied by such experts and advisers as that member may deem advisable.3. The Commission shall have legal personality and shall enjoy, in its relations with other international organizations and with its members, such legal capacity as may be necessary to