The United States and other nations recently finished up a week of tuna, swordfish and shark management discussions at the 2017 annual meeting of International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Marrakech, Morocco.
The good news from overseas is that there’s a bluefin tuna quota increase coming for U.S. fishermen; perhaps even better news is that motions by some ICCAT delegates to shut down the North Atlantic mako shark fishery failed (though an increase in harvest size is forthcoming.)
ICCAT, of which the United States is a member, is an inter-governmental fisheries organization responsible for the conservation of tunas and other highly migratory species in the Atlantic Ocean. In a recent press release from NOAA Fisheries, it was reported that more than 700 delegates representing 47 members gathered to discuss a number of important measures.
One potential measure pushed by hardline environmental groups resulted in a motion made by the Japanese delegation which could’ve completely shut down the shortfin mako fishery along the Atlantic Coast. That initiative was met by strong resistance by the United States.
“The U.S. delegation advocated for measures that conserve shortfin mako, but will also allow for the continuation of shark tournaments and the recreational mako shark fishery,” said Ray Bogan who has been the U.S. Recreational Commissioner at ICCAT since 2016. “The U.S. delegation argued hard for management measures which will actually result in significant conservation gains, and end overfishing of shortfin mako, while allowing industry to survive.”
Advice received in October from a new stock assessment conducted by ICCAT’s scientific committee (SCRS) concluded that the North Atlantic shortfin mako stock is overfished and overfishing is occurring. In response, the United States introduced a proposal to end overfishing in 2018 and begin rebuilding the stock with a time horizon that takes into account the biology of this late-maturing species.
The final agreement focuses on measures to reduce fishing mortality and efforts to further strengthen data collection, while protecting opportunities for U.S. recreational and commercial fishermen to retain small amounts of shortfin mako sharks. According to NOAA Fisheries, the agreement also calls for additional scientific advice on biologically important areas and the effectiveness of various mitigation measures in increasing the survivability of shortfin mako sharks, including circle hooks.
“There are significant measures contained in the recommendation that will impact the foreign fleets that are largely responsible for the present stock status,” Bogan said. “The U.S. already has significant regulations on shortfin mako and other species, so the other measures will not be as consequential for U.S. recreational fishermen as they will be for commercial fishermen, particularly those from Europe and Northern Africa.
Bogan did say that a new larger minimum size limit coming for the 2018 shark season will be “tough on our fishermen,” and said additional requirements for offshore fishermen will need to be adopted in the U.S.%page_break%
“The mako decision averted complete zero retention for our anglers,” said Capt. Mike Pierdinock, a charter boat captain (CPF Charters "Perseverance") from Massachusetts and a member of the U.S. ICCAT Advisory Committee. “There will be a size increase for our recreational anglers to retain makos” he said.
“The larger minimum size will be another sacrifice for U.S. recreational anglers, but it was the only measure available to help assure the survival of tournaments and the instance where a recreational angler lands a large mako,” Bogan added.
ICCAT also adopted a measure for western Atlantic bluefin tuna with a catch limit of 2,350 metric tons, which results in a 17% quota increase for U.S. fishermen. This level of catch has a high probability of avoiding overfishing in the next three years and provides for the sustainability and stability of the fishery. For North Atlantic albacore, the U.S. quota will increase by 20% in 2018.
“With the seasonal and early giant bluefin closures this past year observed from North Carolina to Maine the increase in quota will hopefully keep us all fishing for giant bluefin the entire year in 2018,” said Pierdinock,.
Capt. Pierdinock, a frequent contributor to The Fisherman’s New England Edition, said environmental groups like Pew Charitable Trusts “had a difference of opinion and requested a decrease to 1,000 tons that contradicted the recommendation by the ICCAT SCRS that recommended an increase as high as 2,500 metric tons as well as our observations of fruitful numbers of bluefin in our waters.”
The United States and several other parties also urged the development of stronger measures to protect juvenile yellowfin and bigeye that recruit to U.S. recreational and commercial fisheries. The management of tropical tunas will be revisited by ICCAT as a priority in 2018.
“Whether is it bluefin, yellowfin, bigeye or makos these decisions not only impact the U.S. anglers but all of those that rely on such to make a living,” Pierdinock said after the meetings. “I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of the bluefin and mako measures.”
Bogan credited the work of fellow ICCAT Commissioners, particularly our head delegate John Henderschedt, along with NOAA/NMFS and State Department representatives, and the other delegation members who worked hard for U.S. fishermen.
“We worked hard for flexible management measures to address the realities of the various fisheries that target shortfin mako, or catch them as bycatch,” Bogan said, while adding “our recreational delegation members, Mike Pierdinock and Rick Weber, worked tirelessly to support the U.S. positions and our fishermen.
