My View: Good news on global tuna, swordfishing fronts
My View
Jim Balsiger
November 27, 2009 05:35 am
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On this day after Thanksgiving, I write about good news for all of us who want healthy bluefin tuna and swordfish populations in the North Atlantic Ocean.
In response to pressure from the U.S. delegation led by NOAA's Dr. Rebecca Lent and including NOAA Chief of Staff Margaret Spring, the nations that make up the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas lowered fishing quotas 32 percent for the bluefin tuna stock that spawns in the Mediterranean Sea.
"From the industry's perspective, we're blown away by the leadership qualities of Rebecca Lent and Margaret Spring," said Rich Ruais, executive director of the American Bluefin Tuna Association and Bluewater Fishermen's Association and a member of the U.S. delegation to the international meeting this month in Brazil. "Their ability to call home and get support shows the U.S. was serious and meant business. It made a huge difference."
New England bluefin tuna fishermen have joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for years in arguing for lower quotas and an end to illegal fishing of the bluefin stock that spawns in the Mediterranean Sea. This Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stock mixes in the North Atlantic with the Western Atlantic bluefin tuna stock that spawns in the Gulf of Mexico.
U.S. fishermen benefit when both stocks are healthy and can be fished at a sustainable level.
The international commission had added pressure this year from a proposal to another international body to ban the international trade of bluefin tuna.
Gloucester is the largest bluefin tuna port on the East Coast, home to 150 commercial bluefin vessels. Some two-thirds of bluefin tuna landed in Gloucester and other East Coast ports is sold to Japan for the sushi market; the other third is sold here in the United States. Bluefins fetch as much as $30 per pound at the dock and are caught commercially in sizes ranging from 175 pounds to more than half a ton.
For years, U.S. fishermen have heeded strict bluefin tuna fishing quotas based on scientific advice to rebuild the stock that spawns in the Gulf of Mexico. In stark contrast, the fishing quota for the stock that spawns in the Mediterranean has been set much higher than scientists have recommended.
On top of that, significant illegal fishing has led to a dangerous decline in the Mediterranean stock's population.
The 2010 quota for the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stock of 13,500 metric tons is a marked improvement.
Although our team argued for a quota no higher than 8,000 metric tons to guarantee the long-term viability of the fish and the fishery, I am pleased with this progress.
Our team also made unprecedented progress in holding countries accountable for complying with fishing regulations. Spurred by the United States, the commission is now identifying the nations that have not reported their catches and halted illegal fishing.
The U.S. team brought home welcome news on North Atlantic swordfish as well. The international commission's panel of scientists announced that the stock has rebounded to a healthy level that can be fished sustainably. This is the first major recovery of a fish species by any international commission.
During the swordfish discussions, our delegation successfully argued that U.S. fishermen who sacrificed to rebuild swordfish and who use techniques that protect the larger marine ecosystem should not be penalized by reducing their percentage of the quota.
I hope we can convince other nations to adopt the gear and fishing practices pioneered by our fishermen that protect sea turtles and other species. This would create a fairer international marketplace for our swordfishermen, who take on higher costs than their counterparts in fishing nations that do not protect the larger ecosystem.
One sign of progress was that Canada agreed to work with the U.S. to consider these techniques.
The United States sent a diverse team to the meeting, with representatives from the commercial and recreational fishing industries, environmental community, Congress - including from U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe's office - and our NOAA team of scientists, policymakers and negotiators. This team made real progress.
Our global oceans depend on us working together to rebuild depleted fish stocks while conserving marine ecosystems.
While fully realizing it's not quantifiable in terms of actual impact, I am still proud to be a part of the rallying cry generated by this site to reach out in writing to Dr. Lent and others to help get to this point.
I also think I will adding Rebecca Lent and Margaret Spring to my Christmas card list this year. As it is, almost all of the items on my personal list for Santa Claus this year would be rendered useless if there is no local BFT fishery to chase in 2010 (and beyond)!
Chris Weiner did a great job in Washington yesterday as did the other 17 fishermen that attended and spoke. I wish I could step back and say "don't worry things will be ok" BUT! It is clear that enviros still want blood no matter how good ICCAT changes appear. They want the Bluefin Fishermen’s pelt under their belt and the CITIES trophy on the wall.
Don't forget that ICCAT SCRS held a special scientific meeting and determined that it is likely that the current stock meets the CITES criteria for appendix one CITES. And, that FAO meets next week to determine for CITES if BLUEFIN should be included under CITIES one for the vote in March. Bluefin still remains a very political foot ball.
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