Pacific countries proposed in May that all pockets of international waters located in between their economic zones should be closed to all fishing activities (1). These areas are the final refuge for tuna, as stocks in other oceans have been severely depleted and vessels from the US, Europe and Asia are now headed to the Pacific.
"The Oryong 717 is one of the many longline vessels chasing a dwindling tuna resource in the Pacific. Next year, this high seas area will be closed to purse seine ships but they should be closed to all types of fishing. All countries must respect the wishes of Pacific nations to close these areas and protect tuna, their lifeline," said Josua Turaganivalu of Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
Over half the world's tuna is caught in the Pacific, with the vast majority taken by distant water fishing nations from Asia, the US and Europe. Despite agreements to reduce tuna catches to combat overfishing, an estimated 2,426,195 metric tonnes of tuna was caught in the Pacific in 2008 - the highest annual catch on record (2).
Longliners like the M/V Oryong mainly target bigeye and yellowfin tuna, destined for luxury sashimi markets in major cities where this fashionable food has become popular. Scientists have warned that both species may be severely overfished (3). In addition, approximately 35% of long-line catch consists of non-target species, including threatened oceanic sharks, and turtles (4), and many tuna long-line vessels also engage in controversial shark-finning activities. Pirate fishing by long-line fleets is also thought to be significant, and is often facilitated by transshipments at sea (5).
The Esperanza's "Defending Our Pacific" tour is part of an international campaign for clean and healthy oceans through the creation of a global network of marine reserves and effective enforcement of laws that protect ocean life. Greenpeace is monitoring the pockets of international waters that Pacific Island Countries want closed from all fishing activities in order to protect the declining tuna stocks. Already during the tour, the Esperanza has exposed illegal transhipment activities by Taiwanese ships, documented the oceans plunder by a Japanese ship and confiscated several fish aggregating devices which are currently banned.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has already agreed to close two of the areas to tuna purse seining from January 2010 onwards, but the areas are still vulnerable to overfishing by the massive international long-line fleets.
"Time and tuna are running out. The WCPFC can become a global leader in oceans conservation by agreeing to immediately reduce fishing by half and by closing all four pockets of international waters in the Pacific at its summit in December," said Karli Thomas, Greenpeace New Zealand oceans campaigner, on board the Esperanza. "Unless it takes this action, the fishing industry will simply fish the Pacific to death."
Greenpeace is campaigning for a global network of fully protected marine reserves, covering 40% of our oceans. They are essential to ensure clean and healthy oceans and protect marine life from overfishing and habitat destruction. Healthy oceans can also play a vital role in building resilience against the devastating effects of climate change.
Notes: (1) Link to map” http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/oceans/marine-reserves/pacific-tuna-need-marine-reserves
(2) Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, www.wcpfc.int/meetings/2009/5th-regular-session-0
(3) Scientists are warning that fishing effort needs to be drastically cut to allow bigeye tuna stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean to recover from overfishing. In their latest advice in August 2009, scientists advised that a cut of 34-50 per cent would be necessary. This comes after several years of countries failing to heed scientific advice to cut fishing effort. Their warnings have so far not been heeded and pressure on stocks has not been reduced. The Scientific Committee of WCPFC this year found that for the highly exploited western equatorial region of the WCPO which accounts for 95% of the total yellowfin tuna catch, the spawning biomass has declined to about 30% of the unexploited level.
(4) Molony, B., (2007). Overview of purse-seine and longline bycatch issues in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. In: Oceanic Fisheries Programme, Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Inaugural meeting of the Asia and Pacific Islands Bycatch Consortium. Honolulu, USA 15-16 February 2007. SPC: Noumea, New Caledonia.
(5) Closing the Net: Stopping illegal fishing in the high seas (2006). Final report of the Ministerial-lead Task Force on IUU fishing in the high seas.