E - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2002-2003 (II)
As a coastal developing State with a long historical catch and as a country with spawning areas and habitats of
bluefin tuna in her waters, Turkey warrants special recognition.
The needs of the coastal States whose economies are dependent on the exploitation of marine resources in the
eastern Mediterranean Sea were not taken into consideration.
Since 1992 Turkey has been carrying out research on tunas in Turkish waters and is documenting new scientific
results for bluefin tuna fisheries. With that, Turkey has provided the basis for the management and conservation
of highly migratory species.
The delegation of Turkey would like to thank the Chairman, the organizers and all of the participants of the
Eighteenth Regular Meeting of the Commission for their efforts.
We would also like to thank the Irish Government and the EC for giving us the opportunity to hold this meeting
in this wonderful city of Dublin.
United Kingdom (in respect of its Overseas Territories)
The United Kingdom (in respect of its Overseas Territories) participating in ICCAT would like to thank the Irish
Government for hosting the 18th Regular Meeting of ICCAT. We would also like to extend out thanks to the
ICCAT Secretariat for its hard work in preparing this meeting.
The United Kingdom represents six Overseas Territories at ICCAT: Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin
Islands, the Falkland Islands, St. Helena and its dependencies Tristan da Cunha and Ascension Islands, and the
Turks and Caicos Islands.
We continue to be concerned about the effect of IUU fishing on the stocks managed by ICCAT, especially at it
affects our Overseas Territories, and so we welcome the positive outcome of the working groups on measures to
combat IUU fishing. We hope that this meeting will take forward that work and thereby provide ICCAT parties
with a set of tools to combat IUU fishing as web as fishing in contravention of ICCAT conservation and
management measures.
It is essential that we act in a responsible way to safeguard the stocks managed by ICCAT. We should ensure
that total allocations are set in accordance with the precautionary principle and area based on the best scientific
advice available.
We look forward to participating in discussions over the coming web and hope that all parties present are able to
work together constructively to ensure ICCAT´s continued success.
United States
It is a pleasure to be in Dublin for the 18 th Regular Meeting of the Commission. The members of ICCAT are
facing many complex and challenging issues. As in previous years, we can work together to advance the
conservation of ICCAT species. The U.S. priorities for this year’s meeting reflect several guiding principles.
First, we are committed to rebuilding over-fished species. The recovery of North Atlantic swordfish is a clear
example of how we can work cooperatively to take responsible actions that enable an over-fished stock to
rebuild to the biomass supporting the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Our second guiding principle is to
pursue effective monitoring and reporting, as well as compliance by ICCAT members with the Commission’s
binding recommendations. Finally, we must continue moving forward to address non-member fishing that
threatens our shared fishery resources.
Despite our differing domestic priorities, while here at ICCAT we should all keep in mind the primary objective
of the Convention: to manage ICCAT stocks at levels that will support the MSY. Stock management issues of
primary importance this year include new measures for bigeye tuna and albacore. The United States supports the
development of multi-year measures with total allowable catches that, for bigeye tuna and South Atlantic
albacore, will limit fishing mortality to levels that will support MSY, and for North Atlantic albacore, will
rebuild the stock to MSY levels, while maintaining flexibility for small harvesters.
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