Image: Fisker Forum / FIS

FAD ban could jeopardise thousands of jobs

EUROPEAN UNION
Wednesday, February 08, 2023, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

The continued existence of the purse seine fleet in the Indian Ocean is at stake following the decision on Fish Aggregating Devices that was taken following a vote among Indian Ocean Tuna Commission members – potentially putting thousands of jobs at risk.

Photo: MSC

The decision to phase out the use of drifting FADs in the tuna fishery is seen as a strategy to exclude European operators from Indian Ocean waters, rather than being connected to any particular concerns for stocks, and Europêche warns that canneries in the Seychelles and Mauritius may not survive, as these businesses depend on the purse seine fleet for their supply of raw material.

The Mauritian delegate in the meeting said that, ‘Mauritius is not a big fishing nation yet. It is a processing nation. For that Mauritius needs raw material. The purse seine fishery contributes 20,000 jobs and guarantees the access to the EU market, which brings good opportunities to Mauritius, to enhance its economy.’

Phasing out the use of Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) could jeopardise the activities of the Indian Ocean tuna purse seine fleet.

The representative from Comoros was also opposing the Indonesian proposal, and claimed its preference for the European one, which was improving traceability, transparency and biodegradability while protecting local economies, stating: ‘Comoros supports the EU proposal because it has an industry that must function. Small countries are also waiting for supplies brought by these large boats.’

According to Europêche Tuna Group, while other fishing fleets catch more than half of the total tuna catches in the IOTC area, the whole burden is placed on purse seiner fleets – 46 vessels which employ hundreds of crew, including from Africa and create employment in processing plants, shipyards and port facilities in the Indian Ocean.

‘No science to base the decision on, no consideration for local economies, and above all, no possibility given to the EU and other opposed developing countries to discuss and find a compromise. The proponents only agreed to meet once for less than two hours in three days,’ said Anne-France Mattlet, director of the Europêche Tuna Group, commenting on this decision.

‘Just a vote that imposed measures that will threaten the whole EU long-distance tuna fleet and the purse-seine dependent economies of the region. Can it be something else than a geopolitical issue? We are strongly asking the EU to challenge this decision, in line with the affected developing countries, to save the purse seine fleet and support its developing partner states. The contrary will hand over our tuna supply to non-EU fleets and foreign interests.’

Discriminatory

The delegate from Seychelles echoed the Europeam position, commenting that, ‘a moratorium on one particular gear, without any scientific advice, is unfair and discriminatory.’

Europêche points out that the eleven proponents of the decision were driven by Indonesia, which objected the yellowfin tuna management plan and has increased its catches by more than 250% since 2014, while other nations voting to phase out FADs include those that have repeatedly blocked important management and conservation measures.

No scientific advice has been presented to back up the opposition to the use of drifting FADs in the Indian Ocean tuna fishery

Anne-France Mattlet commented that the EU, Seychelles, Mauritius, Comoros and other contracting parties were not opposing the introduction of further FAD measures. These countries were requesting specific scientific advice, to be delivered in the next scientific committee in December 2023, for the IOTC to take a science-based decision in 2024.

Europêche Tuna Group has voiced its concern about the influence exerted by the International Pole and Line Foundation, a UK-based charity that represents tuna fisheries and supply-chain, in this decision, stating that the companies represented by this organisation are close to acquire a monopoly on certified (MSC) tuna in the UK market – which is also an attractive market for the EU purse seine fleet which is also certified.

Exciting news from Kenya! The #IOTC has adopted two resolutions on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to curb harm to marine life - A phased reduction in the number of #FADs permitted per vessel and the creation of a drifting FAD registry.👏 Full statement👉https://t.co/IOR4lxASSS

— Int Pole & Line Fdn (@IPNLF) February 6, 2023

According to Europêche, its representative, John Burton, has recently been the subject of a very accusatory declaration from Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Tuna, an agreement of little Pacific Islands which controls most of the Western and Central Pacific tuna supply.

The UK, which is a contracting party to IOTC through the Chagos Islands, strongly expressed its support for the proposal from Indonesia during the meeting and asked for the strongest package possible, which goes against the interests of the EU fleet.

Unwelcome precedent

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation has expressed its concern, describing the lack of compromise as an unwelcome precedent.

In a statement, ISSF expressed its concern over ‘the lack of a shared effort by all IOTC delegations in working together toward the realisation of scientific advice.’

By Quentin Bates / Fisker Forum

editorial@seafood.media
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