Sustainability key issue at tuna talks |31 May 2005

Delegates from more than 25 countries are meeting in Seychelles to discuss the region’s tuna fishing industry at the annual general meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

Representatives from countries and organisations, including several prominent NGOs like the World Wildlife Fund and Birdlife International, are attending the five-day meeting which was officially opened on Monday at the International Conference Centre by Vice-President Joseph Belmont.

He said that though Seychelles had in the past “shunned” some control measures in favour of national interests, record-breaking catches in recent years warranted the need to protect what was a “fragile but renewable” resource.

The vice-president also voiced concern about illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing in the region, urging the commission to tackle the issue of transhipment at sea.

The status of shark stocks required “utmost attention,” as well, Vice-President Belmont said, noting that Seychelles was in the process of drafting its own legislation to govern shark fishing and curb the unsustainable practice of finning.

The chairman of the commission, John Spencer, also warned against the steadily rising industrial catch numbers, saying the Indian Ocean had the worst track record compared to other regions in terms of conservation measures.

“We can’t afford to witness” increasing tuna catches “year in and year out,” he said.

Humans are taking 1.4 million tons of tuna – 15 percent of which is believed to be from IUU fishing – out of the ocean, he said, noting that oversupply on the market does nothing to benefit fishermen.

Mr Spencer also cited concerns over the bird and sea turtle by-catch by industrial vessels, as well as swordfish stocks.

This week’s meeting – IOTC’s ninth session – comes a full 18 months after the previous one. It was delayed after the December tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean and, likewise, many IOTC member countries.

Mr Spencer led participants in a minute of silent prayer for those affected by the disaster at the opening of the conference.

Speaking to Nation after the opening ceremony, IOTC executive secretary Alejandro Anganuzzi said the meeting came in the midst of a busy year for the organisation, which earlier this month launched a 14 million euro project to tag some 80,000 tuna in the Indian Ocean.
The tagging project is expected to give the IOTC some indication as to the size of tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean, and subsequently a better idea for how it can be exploited at sustainable levels.

The project is already ahead of schedule. The two research vessels, which have been near Madagascar for just a few weeks, have already tagged 2,000 fish. Mr Anganuzzi said 1,700 were tagged in just four hours.

If the success rate continues, the IOTC would attempt to acquire more funds to purchase additional tags, he said. “The more, the better.”