Transcript
BUBBA COOK: I think that the Commission would characterise it as progress but basically all that they did was send it back to the Northern Committee one of the subsidiary bodies to reconsider and provide management advice. The problem is that they have been charged with providing management advice and have failed to do that in all the years preceding, up until now - current state that we are in, you know 2.6 percent of the historic biomass you know basically the tank is empty on the Pacific Bluefin stock.
DON WISEMAN: Is this yet another one of those cases of the Tuna Commission putting something into its "too hard" basket?
BC: Well it doesn't have to be in the too hard basket. Bluefin tuna actually could be easily remedied. I mean you have a country that the supply chain provides 80 percent of the resource to that country. So the country could easily say we are just simply not going to accept any more Pacific bluefin tuna. And as a fishing nation and as a consuming nation of the Pacific bluefin Japan could end the crisis with Pacific bluefin today if they wanted. So it really is a matter of political will.
DW: We are talking here about a recommended moratorium on commercial fishing for two years. That is it.
BC: Absolutely. So WWF and a coalition of NGOs that include Pew Environment Group and Greenpeace have collectively requested a moratorium on the Pacific bluefin fishery.
DW: Pacific island nations are finding themselves increasingly under-pressure in the albacore fishery, which is an important thing for Pacific island countries. They are being shut out of it and the WWF had sought improved policing by the Tuna Commission of the distant water nations. Any progress on that?
BC: I think we saw really strong motivation from the Pacific island states to try and address the issue. They have put forward some statements that were as strong as any that they had put forward before and there were some very excellent analyses that were put forward by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in support of establishing a target reference point for South Pacific albacore. Unfortunately there were several countries around the table, distant water fleets that contribute heavily to the over capitalisation of the fishery that weren't receptive. So they were unable to secure a target reference point for South Pacific albacore so it is really just a simple limit by which they can access the fishery, the health of it, the fishery. As a result the proper management again gets kicked down the road and the Pacific Islands suffers and the fisheries suffers and their stock continues to decline because of the explosive over capacity from distant water fishing nations in the region.
DW: There was one significant success and this was improving conditions for the monitors on the boats. the observers.
BC: Yes and that is one highlight I think of the meeting that we can point out is that we were able to secure improved regulations for the safety and security of fisheries observers who serve in the Pacific tuna fisheries. This is a very substantial step and it reflects the combined efforts of a lot of parties to try and push it across the line. And it was not without its conflict it was not without resistance. Which is unfortunate, because if there were ever an issue that should be an easy win that should be an easy decision. This one was actually very hard fought. And it resulted in the first time on a substantive issue for the commission that they actually went to a vote to try and get the measure across the line. And this is politically, incredibly, its unprecedented.
DW: Who is at the front pushing this issue?
BC: The United States had actually put forward the proposal and had leadership over the proposal and shepherding it through the process. But it was very strongly supported by the Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency as well. They were very much behind it. When it came time to take the issue up and secure consensus for it and then there was rejection from one of the members. The FFA stepped up and really stood firm. They essentially drew the line saying that they were unwilling to compromise on issues such as the safety and security of their people, the Pacific people, serving as fisheries observers on board these fishing vessels.
