E - Iccat

ICCAT REPORT 2012-2013 (I)
Sharks
IGFA recommends that ICCAT adopt measures to require that all sharks be landed with fins naturally attached.
Such a measure would help further curtail illegal shark finning practices.
Compliance
ICCAT members must take action to strengthen measures to help reduce or eliminate IUU fishing.
• IGFA urges ICCAT members to fully implement the electronic bluefin catch documentation (eBCD)
program by the start of the 2013 Mediterranean purse seine fishing season.
• IGFA urges ICCAT to take all necessary steps to end illegal driftnet fishing for bluefin tuna and
swordfish and to take action against all vessels that have been identified as engaging in IUU fishing.
• IGFA recommends better identification of fishing vessels, particularly those fishing for bluefin tuna.
General
Recreational angling is a growing and economically vibrant entity in many countries and we wish that ICCAT
recognize both its relevance and that it may necessitate alternate management objectives than those used in
commercial fisheries. IGFA kindly offers its consultation to ICCAT on recreational fisheries issues.
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• Current ICCAT quota allocation and reallocation policies do not take into consideration the economic
value of catch and release recreational fisheries. ICCAT Contracting parties should be free to utilize quota
as they desire, even if it is not fully harvested without penalty of quota redistribution.
• Managing fisheries on the basis of MSY is an excessively risk-prone approach. As such, we suggest that
ICCAT adopt a target objective below MSY to compensate for biological, environmental and data
uncertainties.
International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF)
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global partnership among the tuna industry,
science and WWF, the global conservation organization. Our mission is to work toward the science-based
conservation and management of tuna stocks and the protection of ocean health by supporting regional fisheries
management organizations and advocating for the recommendations of each organization’s scientific advisory
body.
The first part of our statement addresses three of the most important issues facing global tuna sustainability:
reference points and harvest control rules, fleet capacity and the management of FADs. The second part
addresses challenges specific to ICCAT.
Global issues
Harvest Control Rules (HCRs) and Reference Points. HCRs are a set of well-defined management actions to be
taken in response to changes in stock status with respect to target and limit reference points. Unless there is a
pre-agreed upon action plan for avoiding overfishing or for rebuilding an overfished stock, long negotiations
lead to delayed action or inaction. This delay can lead to further damage to the stock, requiring even more
aggressive curtailing of fishing. The adoption of HCRs is a key aspect of modern fisheries management, and is
also a requirement of several eco-label certification programs.
ISSF endorses the application of the Precautionary Approach using clear target and limit reference points and
HCRs, as called for by the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and by some RFMO Conventions. While most tuna
RFMOs have at least begun consideration of limit reference points through their science committees, none have
fully implemented these measures. ISSF urges all tuna RFMOs to adopt stock-specific limit and target reference
points and HCRs. This is one of the most important actions that RFMO members can take to ensure the
long-term sustainability of tuna stocks.
ISSF applauds ICCAT’s progress in 2011 setting forth a general framework for harvest control rules tied to Kobe
plots in Recommendation 11-13. ISSF now urges the Commission to establish stock-specific target and limit
reference points and to specify the probability levels to be associated with Recommendation 11-13.
Closed Vessel Registries and Management of Fleet Capacity. Experts agree that there is overcapacity in the
global tuna fleets. Fishing fleet overcapacity increases pressure to weaken management measures and eventually
leads to stock overexploitation. The first step towards managing capacity is to establish limited entry via a