Virginia Saltwater Fishing

Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland has announced that The United States will continue its support for a proposal to ban all international commercial trade of Atlantic bluefin tuna at this month’s meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Doha, Qatar.

Strickland, who will head the U.S. delegation to the 15th Conference of Parties (CoP15) of the 175-nation treaty, initially announced support for the proposal last October, but left open the possibility that the United States could modify its position if the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted significantly strengthened management and compliance measures during its November 2009 meeting.

“Under the leadership of NOAA, the United States entered the meeting seeking the strongest possible agreement for the conservation of eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna. We recognize that the parties to ICCAT took some unprecedented steps,” said Strickland. “However, in light of the serious compliance problems that have plagued the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fishery and the fact that the 2010 quota level adopted by ICCAT is not as low as we believe is needed, the United States continues to have serious concerns about the long-term viability of either the fish or the fishery.”

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is highly prized, especially for sashimi, and a single fish can be sold for tens of thousands of dollars. The Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stock is threatened by overharvesting, which includes illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing.

Current population information for the species shows it meets the biological criteria for listing in Appendix I. In the Atlantic Ocean, bluefin tuna are managed as two separate stocks, an Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, and a Western. The Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stock of the Atlantic bluefin tuna has declined steeply during the last 10 years. Based on estimated catches, scientists estimated the spawning stock biomass in 2007 to be 78,724 metric tons. This contrasts with the biomass peak of 1955, at 305,136 metric tons. The decline over the 50-year historical period ranging from 1955 to 2007 is estimated at 74.2 percent, the bulk of which (60.9 percent) took place during the last 10 years.

The Western Atlantic spawning stock has declined by 82.4 percent from 49,482 metric tons in 1970 to 8,693 metric tons in 2007.  During the past decade, the Western stock has stabilized at a very low population level. Many experts correlate this stabilization to adoption of rigorous science-based catch quotas and other management measures together with effective monitoring and enforcement. Such measures ensured strict compliance with ICCAT’s ruled by the U.S. fleet.

Strickland noted that the parties to ICCAT took positive steps at the November meeting. These steps included a commitment to set future catch levels in line with scientific advice, to shorten the fishing season, reduce fishing capacity, and close the fishery if the stocks continue to decline.  However, in light of the serious compliance problems that have plagued the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fishery and the fact that the 2010 quota level adopted by ICCAT is not as low as needed, the United States will support the proposal to list Atlantic bluefin tuna in Appendix I at CoP15 and will work actively with Monaco and other CITES and ICCAT Parties in order to achieve positive results for bluefin tuna at CoP15 and at the 2010 ICCAT annual meeting.

If the bluefin tuna is listed under Appendix I, commercial fishermen in the United States could continue to sell western Atlantic bluefin tuna caught in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) domestically.  Fishing in the EEZ is tightly regulated in the United States to ensure that it meets the ICCAT science-based quota. The United States is both a consumer and a net importer of Atlantic bluefin tuna. Strickland indicated that the United States will explore measures to assist fishermen if international trade is restricted.

“We understand the frustration of our U.S. fishermen who have followed the scientific recommendations and regulatory provisions of ICCAT for many years while their counterparts in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean have often overfished and engaged in ineffective management,” Strickland said.  “The U.S. government is committed to working with our many international partners to continue to rebuild Atlantic bluefin tuna and ensure sustained conservation and management of the species into the future.”

A CITES-regulated species may be included in one of three appendices to the convention:

* Appendix I includes species for which it is determined that any commercial trade is detrimental to the survival of the species. Therefore, no commercial trade is allowed in Appendix-I species. Non-commercial trade in such species is allowed if it does not jeopardize the species’ survival in the wild. Permits are required for the exportation and importation of Appendix-I species.

* Appendix II includes species for which it has been determined that commercial trade may be detrimental to the survival of the species if that trade is not strictly controlled. Trade in these species is regulated through the use of export permits.

* Appendix III includes species listed by a range country that requires the assistance of other parties to ensure that exports of their native species are legal. Permits are used to control and monitor trade in native species. Any CITES party may place a native species in Appendix III.

Any listing of a species in either Appendix I or II requires approval by two-thirds of the CITES party countries that vote on the proposal.

The Conference of the Parties will be held March 13-25, 2010, in Doha, Qatar.

source: U.S. Dept. of the Interior press release

Effective January 1 through January 31, 2010, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) adjusts the General category daily Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) retention limit to two large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip. Until January 1, 2010, the current retention limit of three large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip remains in effect.

For more information visit the HMS Breaking News page at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/breaking_news.htm

On November 16, 2009, NOAA issued a statement about the outcome of the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting in Brazil.

STATEMENT

“As a member of ICCAT, the United States entered this meeting seeking the strongest possible agreement for the conservation of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna,” said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.

The ICCAT agreement on eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna is a marked improvement over the current rules, but it is insufficient to guarantee the long-term viability of either the fish or the fishery. While we are disappointed that the total allowable catch is not lower, we strongly support the commitment to set future catch levels in line with scientific advice, shorten the fishing season, reduce capacity, and close the fishery if the stocks continue to decline. We remain committed to pursuing every legitimate avenue to recover Atlantic bluefin tuna and ensure their long-term survival.

Dr. Rebecca Lent, director of the Office of International Affairs at NOAA’s Fisheries Service and the head of the U.S. delegation at ICCAT said, “Negotiations were extremely challenging this year at ICCAT. The United States sought a package of measures for eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna that would halt overfishing and provide for rebuilding by 2023 with a high probability of success. The science indicates that a total quota level of 8,000 metric tons or lower would have achieved that. While I am pleased with the commitments for significantly lower quotas next year, I am disappointed that parties did not take immediate measures to significantly reduce the quota for the 2010 season.”

Importantly though, under U.S. leadership in the Compliance Committee, ICCAT made unprecedented progress and held countries accountable for compliance infractions through formal identifications. These identifications can be the basis for future sanctions and are intended to, among other things, help reduce illegal fishing and improve submission of fishing data, which is crucial for scientific projections. In addition, ICCAT adopted a U.S-sponsored framework for presentation of future scientific advice that will facilitate the use of a precautionary management approach.

Background:

This year, as in years past, U.S. negotiators sought a suite of management measures that would end overfishing and help rebuild stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna. Over the past decade, countries that fished in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean did so at two to three times the sustainable level, causing a significant and rapid decline in the stock.

At its annual meeting, which ended late Sunday November 15, ICCAT adopted the following agreements:

ICCAT has agreed to a total allowable catch limit of 13,500 metric tons for eastern Atlantic Mediterranean bluefin tuna, down from the 2009 limit of 22,000 metric tons. Importantly, this measure also commits to a science-based catch level for 2011 to 2013 with a 60 percent probability of rebuilding the stock to healthy levels by 2023, lengthens the existing purse seine fishing closure for 30 days during the critical spawning period, freezes all joint fishing operations to enhance compliance, and commits to reducing fishing capacity.

ICCAT adopted a science-based rebuilding program for northern albacore tuna intended to rebuild the stock within 10 years and strong conservation and management measures for Bigeye tuna that reduces harvest levels in line with scientific advice.

ICCAT adopted a binding measure to prohibit retention of bigeye thresher sharks which are considered highly vulnerable by scientists.

ICCAT lowered the quota for North Atlantic swordfish to 13,700 metric tons to comply with scientific advice and extended the allocation arrangement that was previously in place. As part of this measure, the United States and Canada committed to develop a joint scientific program to examine ways to reduce sea-turtle bycatch in the swordfish fishery. Results will be presented at the 2010 ICCAT meeting.

ICCAT adopted a new process for providing scientific advice that will give managers clear information on the levels of risk and the timeframes involved in meeting fisheries management goals. This is a key step towards better incorporating precautionary and science-based management approaches.

source: NOAA press release

NMFS announces a proposed change to the General and Harpoon Category fisheries for Atlantic bluefin tuna.  NMFS is seeking comment on this proposed action until December 21, 2009.  For more information please see the Federal Register notice. More information can be found on the HMS Management Division’s website at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/breaking_news.htm