Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS April 2010
Commercial Fishing News
MISCELLANEOUS COMMERCIAL FISHING NEWS
Strickland Announces Continued United mass in 2007 to be 78,724 metric tons. This engaged in ineffective management,” Commission
States Support for International Proposal contrasts with the biomass peak of 1955, at Strickland said. “The U.S. government is Will lead delegation to June meeting in
to Protect Bluefin Tuna 305,136 metric tons. The decline over the 50- committed to working with our many interna- Morocco February 19, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States year historical period ranging from 1955 to tional partners to continue to rebuild Atlantic Monica Medina, Commerce Department
will continue its support for a proposal to ban 2007 is estimated at 74.2 percent, the bulk of bluefin tuna and ensure sustained conserva- principal deputy under secretary for oceans
all international commercial trade of Atlantic which (60.9 percent) took place during the tion and management of the species into the and atmosphere, has been appointed the U.S.
bluefin tuna at this month’s meeting of the last 10 years. future.” commissioner for the International Whaling
Convention on International Trade in Endan- The Western Atlantic spawning stock A CITES-regulated species may be in- Commission by President Barack Obama.
gered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora has declined by 82.4 percent from 49,482 cluded in one of three appendices to the The U.S. commissioner serves as the
(CITES) in Doha, Qatar, Assistant Secretary metric tons in 1970 to 8,693 metric tons in 2007. convention: Appendix I includes species for head of the U.S. delegation to meetings of the
of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks During the past decade, the Western stock which it is determined that any commercial IWC and leads negotiations on issues related
Tom Strickland announced today. has stabilized at a very low population level. trade is detrimental to the survival of the to the commission. Medina will lead the del-
Strickland, who will head the U.S. del- Many experts correlate this stabilization to species. Therefore, no commercial trade is egation at the next IWC annual meeting in
egation to the 15th Conference of Parties adoption of rigorous science-based catch allowed in Appendix-I species. Non-commer- Agadir, Morocco in June.
(CoP15) of the 175-nation treaty, initially an- quotas and other management measures to- cial trade in such species is allowed if it does Prior to joining the Obama Administra-
nounced support for the proposal last Octo- gether with effective monitoring and enforce- not jeopardize the species’ survival in the tion, Medina served as a senior officer in the
ber, but left open the possibility that the ment. Such measures ensured strict compli- wild. Permits are required for the exportation Pew Environment Group, where she provided
United States could modify its position if the ance with ICCAT’s ruled by the U.S. fleet. and importation of Appendix-I species. Ap- advice and assistance on issues of marine law
International Commission for the Conserva- Strickland noted that the parties to pendix II includes species for which it has and policy. She previously was the deputy
tion of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted sig- ICCAT took positive steps at the November been determined that commercial trade may director of the U.S. Office of the International
nificantly strengthened management and meeting. These steps included a commitment be detrimental to the survival of the species Fund for Animal Welfare. She also spent four
compliance measures during its November to set future catch levels in line with scientific if that trade is not strictly controlled. Trade in years as a partner at Heller Ehrman White &
2009 meeting. advice, to shorten the fishing season, reduce these species is regulated through the use of McAuliffe, with a practice focused on envi-
“Under the leadership of NOAA, the fishing capacity, and close the fishery if the export permits. Appendix III includes species ronmental law, corporate law, and biotech-
United States entered the meeting seeking stocks continue to decline. However, in light listed by a range country that requires the nology matters.
the strongest possible agreement for the of the serious compliance problems that have assistance of other parties to ensure that From 1992 through 1999, Medina held a
conservation of eastern Atlantic and Medi- plagued the eastern Atlantic and Mediterra- exports of their native species are legal. Per- number of positions in the Clinton Adminis-
terranean bluefin tuna. We recognize that the nean fishery and the fact that the 2010 quota mits are used to control and monitor trade in tration and on Capitol Hill, including NOAA
parties to ICCAT took some unprecedented level adopted by ICCAT is not as low as native species. Any CITES party may place a General Counsel from 1997 to 1999, where she
steps,” said Strickland. “However, in light of needed, the United States will support the native species in Appendix III. represented the United States in several in-
the serious compliance problems that have proposal to list Atlantic bluefin tuna in Ap- Any listing of a species in either Appen- ternational negotiations, and argued signifi-
plagued the eastern Atlantic and Mediterra- pendix I at CoP15 and will work actively with dix I or II requires approval by two-thirds of cant cases before the U.S. Courts of Appeals.
nean fishery and the fact that the 2010 quota Monaco and other CITES and ICCAT Parties the CITES party countries that vote on the Before joining NOAA, Medina served as
level adopted by ICCAT is not as low as we in order to achieve positive results for bluefin proposal. Deputy Associate Attorney General at the
believe is needed, the United States contin- tuna at CoP15 and at the 2010 ICCAT annual The Conference of the Parties will be U.S. Department of Justice, with oversight of
ues to have serious concerns about the long- meeting. held March 13-25, 2010, in Doha, Qatar. the environment division. Earlier, she was a
term viability of either the fish or the fishery.” If the bluefin tuna is listed under Appen- senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee
The Atlantic bluefin tuna is highly dix I, commercial fishermen in the United Monica Medina Appointed U.S. on Environment and Public Works.
prized, especially for sashimi, and a single States could continue to sell western Atlantic Commissioner to International Whaling Founded in 1946, the IWC normally
fish can be sold for tens of thousands of bluefin tuna caught in the U.S. Exclusive
dollars. The Eastern Atlantic and Mediterra- Economic Zone (EEZ) domestically. Fishing
Lyman Morse -Solar Units to Haiti
nean stock is threatened by overharvesting, in the EEZ is tightly regulated in the United
which includes illegal, unregulated, and un- States to ensure that it meets the ICCAT
Continued from Page 11.
The H-Series unit provides 3500 watts of
reported fishing. science-based quota. The United States is power replenished by 600 watts of integrated
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species shows it meets the biological criteria tic bluefin tuna. Strickland indicated that the with the concept of the product. We hope to up to 28,800 watt hours of power. Each Zero
for listing in Appendix I. In the Atlantic United States will explore measures to assist help with both their efforts in Haiti and in the Base is valued at approximately $20,000.
Ocean, bluefin tuna are managed as two sepa- fishermen if international trade is restricted. ongoing work in the Gulf Coast.” The ZeroBase began at Lyman Morse
rate stocks, an Eastern Atlantic and Mediter- “We understand the frustration of our Make It Right was founded in 2007 by Technologies, the research and
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bluefin tuna has declined steeply during the sions of ICCAT for many years while their Katrina. Make It Right has recently played a Morse has built custom yachts for over a
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