Previous Story
Overfishing of tuna in Pacific at issue in Korea conference next week
|
Posted on Nov 17 2008
The prevalence of overfishing of big-eye tuna juveniles in the Central Western Pacific area will be the main issue during a conference in South Korea next week, according to Department of Land and Natural Resources Secretary Ignacio Dela Cruz.
The meeting, which is set on Dec. 8-12 in Busan, South Korea, will map out plans to reduce juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna mortalities.
Division of Fish and Wildlife Director Sylvan Igisomar and Governor’s Office senior policy adviser Rey Mafnas will represent the CNMI.
Igisomar is currently attending the Micronesian Executive Summit in Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia. He is the new chairman of the Regional Invasive Species Committee.
Dela Cruz said overfishing in the region, including the CNMI, has contributed to the declining population of bigeye tuna.
He said problems and issues regarding fisheries will be discussed including the possibility of reducing the volume of catch in each area.
“If they will not limit the catch, it will also contribute to overfishing,” he said.
Another issue to be discussed will be bottom trolling.
Palau has already banned this destructive method.
There were proposals to limit by 2,000 metric tons the annual volume of bigeye tuna catch in the CNMI, Palau, Guam and other areas.
“The annual catch limit of 2,000 may be adopted during the conference in Korea,” Dela Cruz said.
Earlier, the technical and compliance committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission met on Oct. 2-7 in Pohnpei and drafted the conservation and management measure for bigeye and yellowfin tuna in the area.
Other issues proposed for the meeting in Korea include: vessel monitoring systems requirements, observer program requirements, catch retention, fishery and aquatic development management, a program of work in Indonesia and the Philippines, time and area closures and capacity monitoring.
