Brussels, 06/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - The world's five major tuna fisheries organisations, meeting in San Sebastian, Spain from Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July, failed to take immediate steps to freeze the capacity of the tuna fleet, the European Commission regrets (see EUROPE 9931).
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) did, however, adopt a number of recommendations on, for example: - protection of the most vulnerable shark stocks; - harmonising procedures for scientific research and advice across the various regions; - and the adoption of best practice on compliance with rules. Four working groups were set up, covering the issues of by-catch in tuna fisheries; monitoring, control and surveillance; science; and tuna fleet capacity. The next meeting of this kind will be held in 2011. The European Commission hopes that a ministerial-level meeting on tuna fishing can also be organised soon.
“I am disappointed that differences in positions between the parties made it impossible to agree on the global capacity freeze proposed by the EU. It is vital that we find a way to bridge the gap between the developing states and other partners, so that effective action on this issue can be taken as soon as possible,” said European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg.