Greenpeace wants measures to stop tuna decline adopted

CEBU, Philippines - Amidst the declining population of tuna such as Bigeye, Pacific Bluefin and Albacore, Greenpeace Philippines calls on the members of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to urgently adopt several measures.

Members of the WCPFC are currently having its 12th regular session in Bali, Indonesia and Greenpeace attended as an observer.

Greenpeace in a statement said overfishing of these types of tuna is the predictable result of the failure of members of the Commission to uphold the mandate stipulated under Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention to apply the precautionary approach, including through acting upon the best available scientific advice, in adopting Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs) for key tuna species.

"The continued decline in these stocks is a result of continued expansion of fishing fleets, increasing fishing capacity and effort, through the use of fish aggregating devices in particular, and increasing non-compliance," the statement reads.

It said that two of the Pacific’s vital tuna stocks are now at dangerously low levels: the Pacific Bluefin tuna population is estimated to be at 4.3 percent and Bigeye tuna at 16 percent of its original spawning biomass.

Greenpeace said the Commission must prioritize efforts towards rebuilding these stocks and putting in place all the necessary management frameworks and control mechanisms to safeguard them from further decline.

The Commission must develop precautionary targets and harvest control rules to restore all the fisheries to full health and productivity, it added.

Among the measures that Greenpeace is calling the members of the WCPFC to urgently adopt is to agree to a new recovery plan for Bigeye tuna that brings existing fishing capacity and effort into line with precautionary mortality limits to end overfishing and allow for the quickest possible recovery of the stock.

It further suggested adopting a full ban on at-sea transshipment. 

Greenpeace further said that transshipment and the use of mother ships to resupply fishing vessels at sea also facilitates forced labor and human rights abuse at sea, by allowing fishing vessels to stay at sea for months and even years, making escape impossible for fishing crews.

Greenpeace further recommends for the Commission to adopt a moratorium on targeted fishing for Pacific Bluefin tuna.  (FREEMAN)