SUVA (PEW TRUSTS) — The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) ended Tuesday with some important progress on electronic monitoring, but went another year without updating how it manages transshipment, or the transfer of catch from a fishing vessel to a carrier vessel.
Dave Gershman, a senior officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts’ international fisheries project, said:
“The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) ended today with new momentum for a critical effort to modernise oversight of the world’s largest tuna fishery.
“After a decade of work, the Commission adopted interim electronic monitoring (EM) standards, which will ultimately help improve oversight of the region’s valuable fisheries. By allowing managers to augment human observers with onboard cameras and other technology, EM can increase data collection and help ensure that fishers are following WCPFC rules. WCPFC now joins other tuna regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) in the eastern Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, which also recently adopted EM standards, ensuring that better data on fishing activities will soon be collected oceanwide.
“Unfortunately, after years of discussion, WCPFC yet again failed to agree to improve the management and monitoring of transshipment, which is urgently needed for this key link in the seafood supply chain. The Commission’s rules remain out of alignment with United Nations recommendations and lag behind the standards adopted by the other four tuna RFMOs.
“While the adoption of EM standards is something to celebrate, WCPFC members must continue to find ways to reduce risks to sustainability, starting in 2025 with a serious recommitment to updating how it manages transshipment…. PACNEWS
Pacific Fisheries Managers advance electronic monitoring standards, but fail on transshipment
