Kenya:WWF welcomes the adoption of new conservation measures on fish aggregating devices (FADs) at the recent Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) meeting in Mombasa, Kenya.

Recent exponential growth in FAD use has increased the risk of overfishing of tropical tunas, particularly juveniles that have not yet reproduced. FADs can also lead to the unintended catch of other species; where tunas aggregate, sharks are also present. The devices contribute to ocean pollution and habitat degradation, due to the non-biodegradable material they are made of and damages they can cause to vulnerable coastal habitats, such as coral reefs.

“Both yellowfin and bigeye tuna are overfished. With these two commercially important tropical tuna stocks in the red, this is an important step in the right direction. Reducing the number of drifting devices by 33% over the next three years will help to reduce cumulative impacts on target tuna stocks and associated marine ecosystems,” said Umair Shahid, WWF Indian Ocean Tuna Manager.

The decision on drifting FADs (dFAD) introduces new transparency and reporting requirements and requires a progressive reduction in the number of allowed dFADs from the current level of 300 per purse seine vessel to 250 by January 2024, and 200 by January 2026.

Improved transparency, reporting and data collection will help inform science-based management advice on the use of FADs, including seasonal prohibitions. However, WWF remains concerned that more stringent measures are required in order to move toward a multi-annual rebuilding plan to restore stock and ocean health.

“It is essential that all member states abide by the rules and adhere to catch reductions and limits to allow these tuna populations to recover. We note the divergent views of parties on new FAD measures and urge all parties to respect the outcome of the IOTC vote and constructively work together.” “Now is the time for stakeholders and policymakers to stand together on this important journey to sustainability,” said Shahid.

Source: FIS, February 10, 2023 (WWF)

Philippines: According to the preliminary data from the Fisheries Situation Report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for January to December 2022, the Philippines’ fisheries sector produced 4.3 million metric tons of fish and fishery products, reflecting a growth of 2.2 % in comparison to the previous year’s output.

This growth is shared by the various fisheries subsectors, with the biggest share garnered by the aquaculture sector (54.1%), and followed by the marine municipal (21.8%), the commercial fisheries (20.0%) and inland municipal (4.0%) sub sectors.

Of the 20 major species, five species were noted to have recorded increases in production, namely, seaweed (15%), skipjack (5.6%), yellowfin tuna (14.1%) squid (22.9%) and bigeye scad (4.5%).

Source: www.bfar.da.gov.ph

https://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/2023/02/21/2022-fisheries-production-volume-up-by-2-2/

China: On February 14, the High-quality Development Promotion Conference of Pelagic Fisheries (squid and tuna)  was held in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

The meeting pointed out that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country's distant water fishery has actively promoted the transformation of the mode and structure, and has achieved remarkable results in terms of industrial scale, governance capacity, and foreign cooperation. Over the past ten years, pelagic fishery production has developed steadily, and the level of standardization and greening has been significantly improved, making positive contributions to enriching the domestic aquatic product market and promoting the economic development of partner countries.

The meeting emphasized that it is necessary to fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Central Economic Work Conference and the Central Rural Work Conference, accurately grasp the new situation and new requirements faced by the distant water fishery, insist on making progress while maintaining stability, stabilize the scale of development, optimize the structural layout, and improve the development policy:

• It is necessary to promote the development of the entire industrial chain and large-scale aggregation, improve quality and efficiency, and cultivate modern ocean-going fishery enterprises.
• It is necessary to continue to strengthen standardized management, continue to carry out supervision and improvement actions, and strengthen the safety supervision of distant water fisheries.
• It is necessary to strengthen the training of practitioners, promote the construction of observers and other talent teams, and enhance the ability to perform contracts.
• It is necessary to insist on independent fishing moratoriums on the high seas, strengthen resource conservation, deepen multilateral and bilateral fishery cooperation, and promote the sustainable development of distant water fisheries.

 Chen Liangxian, a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Guangdong Provincial Government, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Central Foreign Affairs Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Security, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Commerce, General Administration of Customs, China Coast Guard, relevant departments, bureaus and institutions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, relevant provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government) and fishery authorities of cities under separate state planning , representatives of fisheries-related universities, scientific research institutions and social organizations attended the meeting.

Source: FIS (Economic Daily News-translate from original )