Transcript
The motion recognizes that 71 percent of the earth's surface is made up of oceans and pollution, over-exploitation, warming, acidification, and biodiversity loss are occurring at rapid rates because of human impacts and there is strong scientific evidence supporting full protection of at least 30% of the ocean to reverse those impacts, increase resilience to climate change, and sustain long-term health. Environmentalists, say, however that Pacific tuna stocks have plummeted to critical levels and rigid conservation efforts need to be undertaken immediately to secure the survival of some species. Kosi Latu; director general Secretariat of the Pacific Regional environment programme:
"There's already data showing that some species of tuna in particular are in danger of being extinct so it's a balance thing we're not saying you shouldn't eat fish, it's been part of our diet for many many years but it's a about sustainability and that's the key underpinning principle.
The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest tuna fishing ground, accounting for almost 60 percent of the global catch. But much of that figure comes on the back of collapsed tuna fishing in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. That problem, they say is compounded by parasitical fishing fleets from Taiwan, Korea, and China that are too large to be economically viable and only return to profitability because of heavy government subsidies from Taipei, Beijing and Seoul. Winiki Sage, president of Economic, Social and Cultural Council of French Polynesia:
"Today Polynesian leaders understand we have to do something because we are not small countries all those EEZ together to make like a big blue zone all over and it's possible because we have the same culture and we can talk to each other, the same values, Polynesian values."
Greenpeace pointed to a 2016 report on fish stocks that found that Pacific Bluefin had crashed to only 2.6 percent of its size following early a century of unchecked overfishing. For its part, the IUCN said the species had dropped off by up to 33 percent over the past 22 years, as demand for sushi and sashimi skyrocketed.
Taholo Kami; regional director Oceania, IUCN:
"Well I think there is a discussion, an essential discussion that we still need to have at the highest levels from the Pacific and this is where about owning the solution with the PNA that's a Pacific owned creative solution and we need more solutions that start to embrace our priorities, our values, and then the long term sustainability of fishing."
While an IUCN motion isn't legally binding in itself, the organisation currently meeting in Hawaii represents over 180 countries and does carry a fair amount of weight.
Taholo Kami again:
"There are areas that need to be shut off, some temporarily some just to keep the fishery moving. The Pacific tuna associations, they come from a tuna perspective and that's one picture, but on the other side in terms of total fisheries it actually makes sense that management that includes some protection."
Conservationists hope that the motion will pass and will then be taken to the Convention on Biodiversity review of the Aceh targets later this year.
