Overview of the IUU fishing in the Pacific: policy, legislation and practice Moses Amos, Director of Fisheries, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE WILL COVER • Size of the Pacific Oceanic Fisheries • National, Sub-regional & Regional Perspectives • Successes • Current situation • IUU Trends and Impacts • Challenges • Vanuatu’s experiences • Areas where support is needed
Size of the Pacific fishery • The fishery is not just big - it is huge ; • Total EEZ of 30 million square kilometers of ocean; • Provides 60% of global tuna supply. Half from PICTs EEZs; • Landed value = ~ US$6 billion – ~ US$3 billion from PICTs EEZs; • 2013 Total catch = 2,621,511 mt PS = 1,898,090 mt LL = 230,073 mt Approx. 60% of catch comes from PNA waters
Just how much is that? Nose to tail – the skipjack alone would go around the world more than TEN times Tuna cans produced could fill TEN stadiums EACH year
Pacific Region’s Policies – Combating IUU – 3 Levels • National Level • Sub-regional Level • Regional Level
Pacific Region IUU Overview Regional measures Regional measures compatible with sub- compatible with REGIONAL regional measures national measures (Total EEZs + HS + HS Pocket) Enhanced & uniformed equivalent effect on IUU SUBREGIONAL NATIONAL (EEZs of some PICTs + 1 HS (EEZs) Pocket) Sub-regional measures compatible with national measures
Successes - National Level • Conservation and Management (VDS, TAC, number of licenses, vessel type & size) • NPOA IUU • Tuna Management Plans • Compliance with sub-regional, regional and international obligations • Fishing vessel Registration (FFA and Domestic) SPC/FFA • Charter of foreign fishing vessels • Fishing by local vessels beyond national waters • Licensing requirements and conditions • Data collection and reporting Nat. • Exit and entry reporting requirements Gov. • Observer programme In-zone • Boarding and Inspection Programme • Port Inspections and sampling programme measures • Surveillance Programme (serial and sea surface) • “Port – Port” Vessel Monitoring Programme • In zone and High seas Transhipment • FAD programme • Enforcement and prosecution • Catch documentation Scheme • Seafood verification and certification
Typical Weekly VMS coverage – Vanuatu EEZ
Typical Monthly VMS coverage – Vanuatu EEZ
Successes - Sub-regional Level • Purse seine Vessel Day Scheme • Sub-regional Fishing vessel Registration • Sub-regional Licensing requirements and conditions SPC/FFA • Data collection and reporting • Observer programme • Boarding and Inspection Programme PICTs SR • Vessel Monitoring Programme Members • Transhipment Measures Sub- • FAD programme regional • Fisheries Information Management CMMs System (FIMS) • Aerial and sea surface surveillance
Successes - Regional Level • CMMs for – IUU Listing – Vessel Monitoring System PICTS – High Seas Transhipment – Compliance Monitoring – Compliance reports DWFNs – Data reporting – Data submission and Regional verification CMMs – Regulation of Transhipment – Vessel registration and authorization – Regional Observer programme
Current situation in the Pacific Region
IUU Trends and Impacts • Estimating the level of IUU fishing is extremely difficult. • Continues to be a problem in the Pacific, affecting conservation and management measures both in EEZs ,High seas, and High seas pockets; • The bulk of IUU fishing occurs within EEZs and in particular within the waters of FFA members by both licensed and unlicensed fishing vessels • Creates significant constraint to PICTS aspirations and attempt to sustainably manage their resources and provide food and nutrition security or fisheries income: – Direct Economic impacts – Secondary economic loses – Social impacts – Environmental impacts
Challenges • The responsibility of the coastal state to enforce the law within its EEZ is weak; • Weak governance, insufficient financial resources, limited capacity, weak enforcement of terms and conditions of licensing; • Weak national legislations; • The state of governance of a country correlate with IUU fishing; • Failure of the control component of MCS, rather than a failure of surveillance; • Illegal activities by licensed fishing vessels are usually seen as being different from the unlicensed poaching; • Licensed vessels are not generally regarded as pirates or poachers in the way that unlicensed operators are; • Lack of distinction between unreported data from fishing within EEZs and that from fishing outside EEZs; • Failure by States under basic obligations both in international law and under the LOSC to utilize fish stocks in a sustainable manner; and, • Failure of national MCS systems to deter illegal fishing through detection, apprehension and the imposition of sanctions through the process of law.
Vanuatu’s Experience – “ A Blessing in disguise” Before – EU IUU Notification After – EU IUU Notification • No fishing vessel registry Fishing vessel registry established • No control over registration of foreign fishing vessel Control over registration of foreign fishing vessel on on Vanuatu international shipping registry Vanuatu international shipping registry • Uncontrolled issuance of International Fishing Control over issuance of International Fishing Authorisations and foreign fishing licenses; Authorisations and foreign fishing licenses; • Gaps within National Legislation; New National Fisheries Legislation; • National Tuna Management Plan very weak; National Tuna Management Plan revised; • Reporting performances to RFMOs (IATTC, ICCAT, Reporting performances to RFMOs (IATTC, ICCAT, IOTC, SPRFMO, WCPFC) very poor; IOTC, SPRFMO, WCPFC) improved; • No Flag State VMS and FIMS; New Flag State VMS and FIMS; • No IUU NPOA; New IUU NPOA; • No port and Inspection Scheme New port and Inspection measures • No control over high seas transhipment by flag Control over high seas transhipment by flag fishing fishing vessels vessels • No data verification & control scheme New data verification & control scheme established • No catch verification and documentation scheme Catch verification and documentation scheme • Insufficient budget allocation Budget allocation increased • Limited revenue collection Revenue collection increased • No cooperation/collaboration between line agencies No cooperation/collaboration between line agencies Change comes at a cost but tangible long term benefits
Areas where support would be needed • Improve understanding of the EU IUU Regulations (costs, benefits and impacts for failure to comply) • Financial and capacity support to Improve MCS systems (including MCS platforms, training, observers, VMS, management and control structures, catch reporting and accounting); • Training and human resource development (inspectors, observers, negotiators and legislators); • Establish alliance with EU to combat IUU; • Develop strategy to assist and sustain countries de-listed from the EU IUU notification – “Yellow Card”/”Red Card”; • Provide support to national governments through regional institions, like SPC and FFA; • Development assistance directed towards enhancing both individual country fisheries management and MCS together with that of the region; and, • Market/Trade controls and restrictions - through Port State Control or certification schemes,
Ultimate Goal to Combat IUU Region Subregion National IUU Activities Controlled & Reduced
Thank you
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