ANNONCER
On the occasion of the World Fisheries Day, the FAO and the Holy See again joined forces to host a successful event focusing international attention on the fair treatment and well-being of fishing people around the world.
Consolidated Fisheries and the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department have confirmed that the Falkland Islands toothfish longline fishery has been re-certified for a further five years by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Nine days of intense discussion on Atlantic tunas at the ICCAT plenary meeting has resulted in disappointment with the failure to able to reach a consensus to revise the management plan for tropical tunas, in particular for bigeye tuna, which is considered to be overexploited by ICCAT’s scientific committee.
The EU and Guinea Bissau have signed a new Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreement (SFPA) protocol, a year after the previous protocol expired.
It’s not often a female Chief of Staff is chosen to lead a joint fisheries and maritime operation between FFA Member countries and QUAD partners (Australia, France, New Zealand and USA). But Senior Constable Sepola Tataa Niulakita from Tuvalu, the first female Chief of Staff, was chosen to lead Operation Kurukuru 2018 (OPKK18), an annual FFA-led operation to combat illegal fishing in the Pacific region.
Coastal states have agreed on the management of herring and blue whiting in 2019, but have failed to reach agreement on the individual shares for each nation. Next year’s Atlanto-Scandian herring TAC is decided at 588,562 tonnes, up on the 2018 TAC of 435,000 tonnes, and blue whiting TAC is 1,143,629 tonnes, slightly down on the 2018 figure.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has announced a £1 million fund and initiative to support small scale fisheries and those in the Global South on their pathway to sustainability.
The Fisheries Agency of Taiwan has concluded its investigations into two longline vessels, one for illegal fishing activity and the other for violations of the ILO Work in Fishing Convention (C-188). Penalties have been applied in both cases.
The EU and The Republic of The Gambia have signed a new Sustainable Fishing Partnership Agreement (SFPA) protocol, 22 years after the previous protocol expired. Both parties welcome the start of a new co-operation period in the fisheries sector.
ICES has advised an increase in the Atlanto-Scandian herring quota that is 53% up on last year’s 384,197 tonne recommendation, taking the 2019 advice to 588,562 tonnes.