Transcript
AMANDA NICKSON: Pacific Blue Fin is a population that at this point has been over-fished down to 2.6 percent of its unfished level. So that's an over 97 percent reduction in that population. And at this point in time, we're gravely concerned that neither the Commission itself nor the countries involved in the Commission independently have taken sufficient action to end overfishing of this species. And at 2.6 percent we're very much concerned about the future of this population.
DON WISEMAN: How do you get those figures?
AN: These figures came from the stock assessment that was actually carried out by a group of scientists that produces stock assessments, particularly for this population. So it's independent. It was not done specifically by us. It has been provided to governments and they need to now take action to rectify the situation.
DW: At this point, there's no policing of bluefin tuna.
AN: At this point, we have a situation where there are two international bodies for managing Pacific bluefin. We have the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, which is where we are at this week in Nadi, and we also have the Inter America Tuna Commission, and that's because this is a fish that migrates all the way across the Pacific and back again. So that certainly makes it a complex fishery from a global perspective because you've got these two bodies. But more importantly than that you have a small number of countries who actually do have the wherewithal to manage this. In particular we really need to see the Japanese government commit to making catch reductions in their waters where the vast number of these Pacific bluefin are caught, many of them at very young ages. So it's effectively removing and undermining the ability of this population to reproduce.
DW: You have suggested a moratorium?
AN: We believe at this point in time that given there has been a complete lack of action or a lack of adequate action by governments over the last three or four years that this stock is in such grave condition that it's time to consider a commercial moratorium, to ensure that the population has time to recover. Part of the reason this is so egregious is that this is a reasonably resilient stock. with some sensible management in place we could actually see a rebounding of this population within a relatively short space of time. But instead what we've seen in the last four years, since it became clear that this population was so heavily in trouble, we've seen delays and a lack of adequate action. So if governments are not going to take clear action, then we believe the only responsible course of action is a commercial moratorium on fishing of this species.
DW: Well you are there in Nadi, surrounded by people who want to catch tuna? How are they reacting to your call?
AN: This is one of a number of issues around several different tuna stocks that will be discussed this week, and we don't know how they will react. But all the countries that are members of this Commission have signed up to a mandate to manage responsibly. So it certainly our hope that we will see a reasoned and appropriate to a call such as this, because this is not a call you make unless you are seriously concerned.
