Ban on Longliners Using Wire Leaders Takes Effect to Protect Sharks
A new regulation prohibiting the use of wire leaders in longline fisheries is expected to increase the survival of hooked oceanic whitetip sharks by up to 30%.
The regulation takes effect on May 31 this year and will replace wire leaders — short lengths of wire that stop fish from biting themselves free from hooks — with nylon alternatives. Plastic leaders give sharks a better chance of survival because they can bite themselves free, or fishermen can cut them loose with greater ease.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration regulation comes after the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council and Hawaii Longline Association started addressing the issue in 2020. Continue reading here (Source: Honolulu Civil Beat).
The Marshall Islands Become the First Pacific Island Nation To Publish Fishing Activity to Global Fishing Watch Map
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has committed to sharing its vessel monitoring data on Global Fishing Watch’s public map, bolstering ocean governance and promoting compliance throughout some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. This momentous decision was announced on April 14, 2022 at the seventh Our Oceans Conference by the Honorable John M. Silk, Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce for the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The declaration marks the first Pacific island nation to make its fishing activity visible to the world.
The partnership agreement was signed between the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority (MIMRA) and Global Fishing Watch, symbolizing the two organizations’ dedication to advancing transparency of fishing activities in the Pacific Islands region, home to the world’s most productive tuna fisheries.
All vessels flying the Marshall Islands’ flag and foreign vessels fishing in its fishery waters will appear on Global Fishing Watch’s map through the integration of the government’s vessel monitoring system (VMS) data. These vessels primarily target tropical tuna species of the Western and Central Pacific ocean, which hold environmental, economic and cultural significance across the region’s island nations—around half of the world’s tuna catch comes from these waters. Continue reading here(Source: Global Fishing Watch).
Solomon Islands Fisheries Ministry Says It Is Committed to the Sustainable Development of Tuna
As Solomon Islands joins the world to celebrate World Tuna Day on May 2, the Government through the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) reassures its commitments to the sustainable development and management of tuna fisheries in collaboration with other regional and international stakeholders.
This was demonstrated by the ongoing close collaboration with key regional stakeholder agencies including the Pacific Islands Fisheries Forum Agency (FFA), the Secretariat Pacific Community (SPC), Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) and other regional countries to ensure Solomon Islands receives maximum economic benefits from the harvest of its tuna resources, and at the same time ensuring the country’s tuna stocks are sustainably managed.
Director of Fisheries Edward Honiwala yesterday said sustainable management of the country’s Tuna stock is necessary in view of the global demand for Tuna fisheries, which is one of the revenue earners for the country. Continue reading here(Source: Solomon Times).
Pacifical Partners Ask Tuna Fishing Companies To Adopt The Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS)
Pacifical partners call for the Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard (RFVS) to be adopted in their MSC tuna supply chain. Retailers and brand owners, sourcing MSC tuna from the Pacific, are aware that labor conditions in wild capture fisheries, such as tuna, are difficult to observe and monitor, due to the remote nature of their workplace. The RFVS certification can play an important role in providing assurances for crew members and their families, but also to End of Chain tuna buyers.
The potential for workers in the fishing industry to be exposed to exploitation, due to the challenging environment of working at sea, is a reality. In some instances, there could be inadequate living facilities onboard the vessels, physically dangerous working conditions, lack of safety equipment, excessive working hours and low wages.
The RFVS specifically focuses on ensuring the crew’s rights, their welfare and safety on board and provides comprehensive assurances of vessel best management practices from catch to shore. The standard was developed to be in alignment with International Labor Organization (ILO) C188, the fundamental ILO labor conventions, as well as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN International Marine Organization (IMO). Continue reading here (Source: Scoop).
Taiwanese Fishing Groups Complain NGOs Are Ignoring Industry Efforts, Endangering Future Progress
Taiwanese fishing representatives have issued a joint statement to protest the treatment they have received from non-governmental organizations including the Seafood Working Group and Greenpeace.
The Taiwan Deepsea Tuna Longline Boatowners and Exporters Association, Taiwan Squid Fishery Association, Taiwan Tuna Purse Seiners Association, Taiwan Tuna Longline Association, and Distant Fisheries Youth Association said the industry’s continuing efforts on labor are “simply ignored” by the campaign groups.
“Instead, they request that Taiwan be downgraded to Tier 2 ranking in the 2022 U.S. [State Department] Trafficking in Persons Report, which is a huge disappointment for all of us,” they said in a joint statement provided to SeafoodSource. Continue reading here (Source: SeafoodSource).
Ocean Brands Keep Its Sustainable Message Straightforward
Ocean Brands’ Skipjack Tuna is now 100% Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified sustainable, building on value it has been seeing from other SKUs that are already certified.
MSC designation means a fish is sustainably wild caught and fully verified to come from a certified fishery.
Certification means a products meet all three key measurements of sustainability: healthy stock status, sustainable habitat and by-catch impact, and successful fishery management, says Jackie Mendoza, senior brand manager at Ocean Brands. Continue reading here (Source: Strategy).
