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“2009 and 2010 Threat of Quota Loss”
The U.S. quota share is threatened by a scheduled ICCAT renegotiation of
allocation shares that will, according to the 2008 Morocco agreement, occur
in 2010. US fishermen are held to more restrictive fishing standards
compared to other Western Atlantic fishing nations and ABTA feels that US
fishermen should not be punished for years of conservation. ABTA is adamant
that the future benefits of fishing conservatively belong to American
fishermen and should not be allocated away.
“2010 Bluefin Tuna CITES listing proposal”
Monaco has submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) Secretariat a proposal to list Northern
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna for consideration of an Appendix 1 listing that will
ban all international trade in this species.
The CITES threat has been motivated by failure of Eastern Atlantic and
North African countries to follow quotas and reporting requirements as recommended
by ICCAT. The cumulative failure of not
following ICCAT recommendations has caused scientific advice to provide a
warning that the actual levels of catch are not sustainable and could
potentially lead to a collapse of the eastern commercial fishery.
ABTA believes after 30 years of following the scientific advice in the
western Atlantic bluefin fisheries (including strict adherence to TAC levels
and minimum sizes well above the ICCAT minimums) the evidence is mounting
that due to mixing the biological objectives for the western bluefin stock
unit cannot be achieved with the eastern fisheries not also following the
scientific advice.
ABTA believes CITES should not be used as a fishery management tool and
enforcing ICCAT regulations on non compliant nations can be accomplished by
other means. Law abiding US fishermen should not be painted with the same
brush as non-compliant eastern fishing countries are. Given our history of
conservation leadership a CITES listing would not only be insulting but
cause the loss of real or potential future economic benefits to US coastal
fishermen.
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