I take a compliment being asked by NGOs and some university groups on what are the issues that are key to the fisheries in the pacific. Yet, my answer seems to take them by surprise because always is: Ask them, ask the pacific islanders… I’m just here working for them, I’m a guest.
For many decades the key local institutions SPC, FFA and PNA have cemented their position as the support institutions for their members. They have their ears closers to the needs of their members than anyone else. So if you want to help the region, the best way is to put your money, expertise, and support behind the people already working here, the famous: support the locals!
Every year around this time, many papers that get piled up for discussion at the WCPFC meeting in December are presented and are for public scrutiny on the meeting website.
One that is key in my opinion is the “FFA Members position on key issue for the WCPFC 18” this is not a long paper but it goes via a serious process of consultation by all members at various plenaries (I’m a witness of that process and is always a geta learning opportunity)
These are the key issue for the 17 coastal nations of the region that are fundamental and they all agree to it… so is easy… your wealthy institution wants to help on matters that are key to the region fisheries for the next year… put all you might and support behind the locals in the topics they believe are key.
For this year, they are:
Tropical Tuna measure
As we have underlined in the past, FFA members will only support a cautious approach to changes to the current provisions in the Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) because, in addition to meeting its objectives, the current CMM already takes into account the best available scientific advice that while the status of the bigeye and yellowfin stocks is healthy, following the most recent changes that were made to the CMM in 2017 when the 4th month FAD closure was removed and the high seas FAD closure was reduced, there remains a need for a precautionary approach, especially noting the uncertainty in the assessments for these stocks. As FFA members have continued to highlight throughout this year, Pacific Islands economies are dependent on the tuna fishery and we cannot support actions that will jeopardise the stocks that we rely upon.
FFA Members have engaged vigorously at the two Tropical Tuna Measure workshops, as would be expected for an issue of such importance to us, and we express our appreciation to you, Chair, for organizing these important opportunities to discuss the elements of this Commission's key Conservation and Management Measure with other WCPFC Members, Cooperating Non-members and Participating Territories (CCMs).
We have made a number of suggestions with regard to revising the Tropical Tuna Measure during the workshop series and details of these can be found collated in the WCPFC Chair’s Consultative Draft of the Tropical Tuna CMM.
Most importantly, in recognition of the sovereign rights of FFA Members who have established national longline limits under national laws with robust monitoring and management systems in place to implement these, FFA Members advise that longline fishing within our exclusive economic zones will be managed only through zone-based management, including the LL-VDS. FFA Members will no longer recognise any flag-based bigeye limits as applying to our zones. FFA members also emphasise the ultimate intention, as proposed in the text provided in relation to paragraph 44 of the revised CMM, to transition towards an equitable framework for the allocation of high seas fishing opportunities in the bigeye longline fishery.
To sum up the basis for our proposed changes, FFA members attach high priority to maintaining the current careful balance of interests between fisheries and CCMs which has been achieved after a lengthy period of careful and considered development. If there are to be changes within the CMM, that balance needs to be maintained. Additionally, we take the advice of the Scientific Committee very seriously and insist on a cautious approach to any changes to the existing measures. We also note that, following the significant technical concerns of the SC, there will be an independent review in 2022 of the stock assessments for bigeye and yellowfin tuna and until the outcomes of this review are available any revisions to the Measure need to be suitably precautionary.
South Pacific albacore
FFA members wish to convey our strong concerns in relation to the situation facing the South Pacific albacore stock. These concerns arise from the following factors:
The necessity for strong management action by the Commission to rebuild the stock to support the economic viability of fleets, especially Pacific Islands domestic longline fleets;
The latest stock assessment for South Pacific albacore which suggests that the stock status has continued to decline in recent years and that, without immediate cuts in catch and effort, the conditions under the TRP will not be achieved;
Recent shift of effort from the tropical longline fishery resulting in increased targeting of South Pacific albacore by DWFNs on the high seas;
The current measure is not effective in restricting catch and effort for SPA, as was clearly demonstrated during the CMR process at TCC17.
In light of these factors, FFA members call for immediate action by WCPFC18 to avoid further declines in the South Pacific albacore stock while work continues on a revised CMM for South Pacific albacore. Specifically, FFA members call for an immediate freeze in catch and effort for South Pacific albacore by CCM vessels operating on the high seas south of the equator.
FFA members also wish to signal our intention to bring forward a revised South Pacific albacore CMM for consideration in 2022. We reiterate our commitment to the implementation of zone-based management arrangements for longline fisheries within our waters and will be seeking compatible limits on catch and effort for South Pacific albacore on the high seas.
Compliance Monitoring Scheme
FFA Members have expressed significant concerns regarding the operation of the Compliance Monitoring Scheme (CMS) for a number of years now. These concerns include:
The imbalance in the operation of the CMS between purse seine and longline obligations - arising from deficiencies in certain areas of the Commission’s management frameworks for these fisheries, particularly unfair focus and scrutiny on fisheries and fleets with better monitoring and reporting;
The significant amount of time spent on the CMR process each year;
The distortion of the CMS as a vehicle for prosecuting individual vessel infringements rather than for its intended purpose of identifying gaps and failures in the implementation of CMMs and putting in place steps to address those issues.
The current CMS CMM contains specific elements that seek to address some of these concerns (for example, the Purpose, Principles and Future Work sections of the measure). These CMS elements have been agreed by all CCMs, therefore highlighting their importance and CCMs’ commitment to their implementation. FFA Members have taken the lead in seeking to address this work. We have invested significant time and effort to lead work on audit points and the development of a risk-based assessment framework, and we have championed the development and use of aggregated tables with the support of the WCPFC Secretariat. However, due to a range of reasons, essential CMS work is still incomplete. In this context, rather than investing further time in the implementation of the current measure, FFA members suggest the WCPFC focuses its collective efforts on progressing the critical suite of future work which will ensure that future implementation of the CMS will achieve the purpose, goals and principles that the Commission committed to in adopting CMM 2019-06.
Labour Standards
The issue of crew safety, including poor working conditions, mistreatment of fishing crew and allegations of forced labour, has remained in the spotlight throughout 2021. The development of a CMM on labour standards for fishing crew remains a priority for FFA Members as reflected by our active participation in the inter-sessional working group. While FFA Members recognise that a significant amount of work has been done to develop the CMM, we recognise that there are a number of issues that still need to be worked through. We attach significant importance to improving the safety and working conditions of crew on board vessels fishing under the WCPF Convention. Crew play an integral role in the economic security of this region. We want to ensure the WCPFC treats this issue seriously, and FFA members are prepared to continue investing the time to do so throughout 2022.
So yeah… there you go… support the locals