E - Iccat

OPENING ADDRESSES & STATEMENTS
Israel
There is a growing interest in Israel to exploit bluefin tuna, and other large pelagic fish, such as swordfish, in a
sustainable way. Israel started with fishing trials for these species in 1991.
Commercial fisheries in Israeli territorial and surrounding waters were started in April 2000 by two longline
vessels that have been operating from Haifa port.
During the last few years there has been a growing awareness regarding the potential of these species in Israeli
waters and one more longline vessel started operating this summer (2003) and two more will be licensed in 2004.
From our calculations, a longline vessel can fish as much s 60 t of bluefin tuna per year.
As it seems that bluefin tuna are spending time in the territorial waters of Israel and in nearby waters, and can be
exploited commercially, the State of Israel, through the Fisheries Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, is interested in developing the bluefin tuna fisheries.
In the coming years, we shall try to find out more about the bluefin tuna population around our waters and the
best ways to exploit this population in a sustainable way.
All data collected will be submitted to ICCAT on a yearly basis.
Since we are also interested in tuna farming for on-site growing of the capture bluefin tuna, the final steps are
now being taken to establish cooperation with Turkey.
In the near future, after dealing with official matters, we will start operating purse seine as well as longline
vessels to carry out mariculture of bluefin tuna by Israel possible.
Israel, therefore, wants to join ICCAT as a Contracting Party. On this occasion, we are asking ICCAT for a
bluefin tuna quota of 2000 t per year.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is pleased to address this the 18 th Regular Meeting of ICCAT in Dublin. We are
grateful for the invitation as well as the opportunity to bring to the Commission the concerns and needs and
measures taken by our country to regulate all Vincentian registered vessels fishing on the high seas.
Substantial efforts are being made to fulfill our reporting and compliance obligations to ICCAT as a fishing
nation, with a fundamental policy of sustainable use of all our resources, to gain full recognition as a cooperating
party. To this end, we have enacted legislation and have continued our effort to refine this legislation. We are
currently monitoring vessels utilizing a satellite vessel monitoring system, and vessels are currently reporting
detailed statistics. We have embarked on an Action Plan for the regulation of all vessels (local and foreign), a
Plan that has been regarded as ambitious. However, we are satisfied that substantial work has been done by the
Government to ensure compliance with ICCAT Convention measures. It is now for this Commission to
encourage the continuation of such efforts and as well as the participation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines as a
member rather than an observer.
Our fishing industry, local and high seas, is an important source of revenue to us as a small island developing
state with limited natural and financial resources. Our country recognizes the need to obtain reasonable quota
allocations and anticipates that our rights as a developing coastal state to fish resources in the ICCAT
Convention area will be fully accommodated and respected. In this regard, we request that these deliberations
take account of our needs as a small developing state and the remedial measures we have taken by lifting
sanctions for bigeye tuna and providing our vessels with the opportunity to continue compliance with ICCAT
management measures, thereby facilitating their continued regulation. We also request that consideration be
given to our need and entitlement under international law for reasonable quota allocations as a coastal fishing
State.
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