Transcript
AIKO YAMAUCHI: The latest [from the] international scientific committee for the tuna and the tuna like species in the northern Pacific ocean, which is represented as the ISC reported that currently Pacific bluefine tuna is on an overfished level, and there is still continued overfishing.
DON WISEMAN: Overfishing of course is not uncommon in the Pacific but to what extent are they overfished?
AY: The scientific committee [ISC] reported that currently that Pacific bluefin tuna stocks status is about 2.6 percent compared to the unfished level.
DW: Some before there was fishing. Now around 2 percent left of what there would have been if there hadn't been any fishing?
AY: Compared to the estimated unfished level. That is a huge issue here, so that the stock is seriously depleted.
DW: So there is a plan out there isn't there, a recovery plan for bluefin tuna and this is looking at least getting back to 20 percent of that pre-fished state, in terms of numbers?
AY: Yes, the WWF believes it is urgently the need for the long term recovery plan by both the WCPFC [Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission or Tuna Commission] and the IATTC [the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission] which aims for rebuilding the target at 20 percent of that unfished level.
DW: There are a lot of people within the tuna industry who are not happy at this idea are they. They are thinking well perhaps half of this 20 percent or two thirds of this 20 percent. They are not prepared to accept the cutbacks that would be required to get to that point?
AY: There are so many commercial fishery [operators] existing in Japan targetting the bluefin tuna and that those people have severe difficulty to keep their catch within the current catch limit. However that current catch limit only enables the stock to recover to the 7 percent level of the unfished level by 2024. And we believe this is not an adequate recovery plan to have all the fisheries get to survival [levels] with this stock.
DW: Well next week the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission or Tuna Commission [Northern Committee] meets. Will this issue of the stress on the bluefin fishery, will that before they Tuna Commission?
AY: Yes. Japan catches more than 60% of the bluefin tuna and Japan is a member country of both the WCPFC and the IATTC, so they need to follow the decision that the Commissions make.
DW: So how confident are you that this long term Pacific bluefin tuna recovery plan will be put in place?
AY: WWF has been urging both of these commissions to for several years. We have been disappointed with the outcomes for such a long time. We believe this is the time we need to agree on the recovery plan and by 2030 the stock needs to be recovered by at least 20 percent of the unfished level.
