Tag Archives: Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency
American Samoa: It’s happening, purse seiners are tying up
At least 14 US purse seiners out of 37 that are licensed to fish under the US South Pacific Tuna Treaty are idling their operations following a directive from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that all US vessels in the Western Pacific Ocean under the Treaty are to cease operations as of December 31st. That prohibition is to remain in effect until the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), issues licenses for 2016, which hinges on a new agreement with the Parties to the Nauru Agreement. Read the article here 10:29
Vessel Day Scheme – US gives official notice to reduce fishing days
The United States is seeking to renege on an agreement it signed with the 17 member Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) member states, admitting it cannot afford to pay the full $89.2m deal it signed in Brisbane with Pacific Island nations. The agreement is important for American Samoa as it controls access to neighboring fishing grounds for US purse seiners that deliver to the local canneries. A statement from PNA says the US now says it cannot afford to fish in PNA waters under the Vessel Day Scheme. Read the article here 09:51
Limits set on bigeye tuna catches in Pacific – World Wildlife Fund says move by fishing panel doesn’t go far enough. Yeah yeah. We know.
The WWF’s Peter Trott criticized the system, saying plans to put monitors on boats would cover as little as 5 percent of the fishing fleets for all but two months of the year. It will make it almost impossible to prevent countries from underreporting their catches, he said. The commission is responsible for regulating commercial fishing in the region, which stretches from Hawaii to Asia and as far south as Australia. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28196049/ns/world_news-world_environment/
