Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS January 2017 Commercial Fishing News
2016 ICCAT meeting takes steps to combat IUU fi shing, sustainably manage Atlantic migratory species
M C F N Countries from around the globe agreed
to take more steps to combat Illegal, Unre- ported and Unregulated (IUU) fi shing at the 20th
annual meeting of International Com-
mission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas ( ICCAT) which recently concluded in Vilamoura, Portugal. ICCAT is an inter-gov- ernmental fi sheries organization responsible for the conservation of tunas and other highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean. This year more than 600 delegates representing 51 governments gathered to discuss a number of important measures that advance the sustainable management of these valuable species. “The U.S. supports actions taken by
ICCAT to address IUU fi shing, including amending transshipment controls, creating an expert group to design training programs on port inspection, and updating its IUU ves- sel list,” said U.S. Commissioner to ICCAT Russell F. Smith III. Other key outcomes from the 2016
ICCAT meeting included: A measure in- troduced by Brazil, the European Union, Guatemala, Venezuela and the United States to establish the fi rst-ever international man- agement measures for sailfi sh including total allowable catches for both eastern and western Atlantic stocks. A measure adopted by ICCAT for North Atlantic blue sharks that included a total catch limit and blue shark data collection and reporting programs. A U.S. proposal to require fi ns attached gath- ered 30 co-sponsors, as well as additional support from other members on the fl oor, but despite this high level of support, did not gain a consensus and was not adopted.
A new measure for North Atlantic albacore tuna that recognizes the assessment results showing the stock has rebuilt and setting the stage for development of harvest con- trol rules that will maintain the stock at a sustainable level. Extensions of the existing management measures for western Atlantic bluefi n tuna and North Atlantic swordfi sh were also adopted. They will remain in place through 2017 when updated scientifi c ad- vice becomes available based on new stock assessments. Despite signifi cant eff orts by the Unit-
ed States, ICCAT failed to adopt measures to reduce the catch of juvenile bigeye and yellowfi n tunas or establish meaningful con- trols on vessels fi shing on fi sh aggregating devices in the eastern Atlantic tropical tuna fi shery. The U.S. will continue to press for these actions, as they are critical to ensuring the long-term sustainability of stocks of great economic importance to U.S. recre- ational and commercial fi sheries. ICCAT also took important steps to
improve compliance with the management measures adopted. These included improve- ments to the way in which ICCAT members report their activities, improvements to the way in which ICCAT”s compliance commit- tee reviews those reports and considers the actions of ICCAT members and the devel- opment of a schedule of possible responses to noncompliance with ICCAT management measures. “We are pleased that ICCAT took sig-
nifi cant steps forward this year to improve our compliance and reporting processes to enhance their eff ectiveness, transparency, and fairness,” said Commissioner Smith. “The actions to address non-compliance affi rm that the Commission takes this matter
seriously.” This year is the 50th
anniversary of
ICCAT. The Convention was signed in 1966 and formally entered into force after a ratifi cation process in 1969. The U.S. dele- gation to ICCAT includes U.S. Government offi cials as well as representatives of the U.S. commercial and recreational fi shing indus- tries and non-governmental conservation organizations. For more information about the outcomes from the 20th
meeting, please visit the ICCAT website.
U.S. raises bar on seafood imports to further curb illegal fi shing, fraud Program will trace specifi c fi sh and fi sh products from harvest to entry into U.S. commerce
The U.S. established additional protections for the national economy, global food securi- ty, and the sustainability of our shared ocean resources. NOAA Fisheries will administer the Seafood Import Monitoring Program to further curb Illegal, Unreported and Unreg- ulated (IUU) fi shing practices and to identify misrepresented seafood imports before they enter the U.S. market. The program requires that importers re- port information and maintain records about the harvest, landing and chain of custody of imported fi sh and fi sh prod- ucts for certain priority species identifi ed as especially vulnerable to IUU fi shing and seafood fraud. The program will eventually expand to include all species. “As a global leader in sustainable fi sher-
ies management and seafood consumption, the U.S. has a responsibility to combat illegal practices that undermine the sustain- ability of our shared ocean resources,” said Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA Administrator. “We designed this program to further ensure that imported seafood is legally harvested and truthfully represented, with minimal burden to our partners.” “This rule is a critical step forward in combating IUU and seafood fraud. It sends an important message to the international seafood community that if you are open and transparent about the seafood you catch and sell across the supply chain, then the U.S. markets are open for your business,” said Catherine Novelli, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment at the U.S. Department of State. “The rule will build on similar global eff orts and will provide confi dence to our consumers in the seafood they eat while also leveling the playing fi eld for honest fi shers across the globe who play by the rules.” The U.S. will use the existing International Trade Data System to collect seafood catch and landing documentation for the priority seafood species. This data system is the U.S. government’s data portal for all imports and exports. Information collected through this program is confi dential and will not be avail- able to consumers. Similar information for domestically harvested seafood is already
120 7530 Olympic View Dr. Unit 105, Edmonds, WA 98026 · (425) 774-7595 annual ICCAT
reported under numerous existing state and federal regulatory requirements. January 1, 2018, is the mandatory compli- ance date for most priority species listed in the rule. Due to gaps in availability of information regarding U.S. farmed shrimp and abalone, implementation for these spe- cies will be eff ective at a later date. NOAA and Food and Drug Administration have committed to working together to identify potential pathways to close these data gaps through FDA’s food safety authorities. This process will include data gathering and a stakeholder engagement process. The Presidential Task Force on Com-
bating IUU Fishing and Seafood Fraud, co- chaired by the Departments of Commerce and State, called for the formation of this program. NOAA sought public comment for the proposed design of this program, and the fi nal rule refl ects feedback from in- ternational partners, the fi shing and seafood industries, trade and consumer sectors and conservation community. For more infor- mation about this program, visit http://www. iuufi
shing.noaa.gov/.
New England Council Approves 2017 Management Priorities
The New England Fishery Management
Council recently approved its 2017 manage- ment priorities, which will guide the Council’s committees and working groups in the year ahead. The Council annually takes this step for two reasons: to focus its time on mutually agreed-upon issues of importance; and to give the public a snapshot of what to expect in the foreseeable future. “Our priority-setting exercise helps us
determine how to best allocate available resources,” said Council Executive Director Tom Nies. “We always have more proposals on the table than we’re able to handle each year, so by collectively deciding upfront which actions rank the highest, we’re able to work much more effi ciently on the Council’s most pressing issues without getting sidetracked.” Setting annual catch limits and other
fi shery specifi cations – a requirement under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act – remains the Council’s highest cross-cutting priority. But for 2017, the Council also supported
many high-priority items that fi shermen and other stakeholders said were especially im- portant. Here are a few of the highlights that were approved during the Council’s mid-No- vember meeting in Newport, Rhode Island: Sea scallops: Consider regulatory changes to the Northern Gulf of Maine Management Area; Groundfi sh: Revise Atlantic halibut management measures; Groundfi sh: Review groundfi sh catches in “other” non-groundfi sh fi sheries and assess implications; Recreation- al fi shing: Improve Gulf of Maine cod and haddock recreational management process; Barndoor skates: Initiate action to allow landings of this rebuilt species; Habitat: Coor- dinate wind power issues with other agencies
2016 LOBSTER BOAT RACE CD
Over 800 photographs from all ten 2016 lobster boat races. $12.50, which includes postage.
To order: Maine Coastal News, P.O. Box 710, Winterport, ME, 04496 or call (207) 223-8846 and charge to your credit card.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31