The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) announced it’s taking direct action in an effort to kick-start the creation a global registry of vessels authorized to fish for tuna, a process that has stalled in recent years.
A Conservation Measure passed by the ISSF Board of Directors gives vessels of a size subject to RFMO registry one year to obtain a unique vessel identifier (UVI) through the IHS-Fairplay administered International Maritime Organization (IMO) numbering system. The measure calls on ISSF participating companies to refrain from transactions with those vessels that fail to secure a number by May 31, 2011.
“The use of a simple series of numbers can help the fishing industry take a significant step toward more sustainable practices and eliminate the market for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing,” ISSF President Susan Jackson said. “These identifiers make it that much easier for regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) to begin building a global tuna vessel registry.”
Right now each of the tuna RFMOs require certain vessel descriptors to be kept on record but the requirements are different depending on the RFMO. Adding to the confusion, many vessels are registered with more than one RFMO regardless of where they are currently fishing.
“Priority was placed on creating this comprehensive list during the first joint meeting of tuna RFMOs and that was 3 years ago,” Jackson added. “We don’t see any reason, technical or otherwise, why this can’t be done.”
“ISSF is offering to work with RFMOs and member states to support their efforts to create a global tuna vessel registry. That includes financial assistance.”
The ISSF Conservation Measure also calls on participating companies to immediately refrain from transactions with vessels that are not on an RFMO’s registry in the region being fished even though regulations require the vessel be listed.
