Highly Migratory Species Report

Why Oh-Why does the US position at ICCAT always seem like a total waste of time and at the same time the US delegates’ position continues to crush the US Bluefin tuna fishermen quota not only for the next year but for the next millennium. At the same time the US gets nothing from the other members of ICCAT that give value to the US sacrifice.

The ICCAT scientists have clearly stated that Eastern Atlantic stocks are beginning a collapse from which they may never recover if major reductions in European and African nations’ landings are not observed. The Eastern Atlantic nations accepted the ICCAT scientists’ report as valid, yet advanced a sham called the “Coherent Recovery Plan.” Their plan openly ignored the science, continued their unsustainable over fishing but then claims that their clearly unsustainable quota will restore the stock.

After more than 28 years of no Bluefin tuna management in the Eastern zone, the countries that are part of ICCAT have yet to observe any rules that monitor or control their bluefin tuna fisheries. Why anyone on the US delegation would expect anything different makes any US concessions not only suspect but an absurd strategy that would accomplish nothing.

The SCRS report for our bluefin stocks in 2006 found that stocks were lower than the last assessment. The huge 1994 and 1997 year classes were found now to be only average in size. The SCRS scientific advice was that the Western Atlantic nations, (US, Canada, Japan) should observe a new lower quota of 2,100 mt. down from the 2006 quota of 2,700 mt. This is a 20% cut for 2007/08. The US share will be 1,190mt down from the 2006 quota of 1,489 mt. Currently the US has a huge tonnage of uncaught bluefin from the last three fishing years. You might expect our huge tonnage of uncaught bluefin would permit a similar fishing quota as in the last three years. But surprise surprise there was a new ICCAT rule passed that limits rollover to 50% of a nation’s base quota.

Lastly, there is a tiny amount of good news for recreational anglers. The despised 8% tolerance of bluefin tuna less than 30 KG was increased to 10% of the US quota. This was an attempt to allow a continuation of recreational opportunities under the reduced TAC (Total Allowable Catch).

Exact terms and conditions will be published shortly in the Federal Registry. Sadly this once great Eastern Atlantic fishery will not recover because the European and African countries are catching all US conserved bluefin that cross the Atlantic to the Western Zone waters.

There was a provision passed to take care of the US commercial fishermen. Fifteen percent of the US quota can be caught in another country and count against their nation’s quota. This allows US boats to fish in Canadian waters and their landings would be charged to the US allocation.

Those who have not followed this issue must remember that US landings of giant bluefin tuna have been terrible. In 2006 the commercial catches were only 138 mt. This was about 10% of the available US commercial quota.