TAIWAN REGAINS ICCAT FISHING QUOTA

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 004052 SIPDIS SIPDIS NMFS FOR REBECCA LENT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EFIS ETRD ECON ICCAT TW SUBJECT: TAIWAN REGAINS ICCAT FISHING QUOTA REF: A. TAIPEI 03381 ¶B. TAIPEI 3822 ¶1. SUMMARY. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) meeting 11/17-26 in Dubrovnik Croatia, restored to Taiwan the full tuna quota it had previously enjoyed and agreed Taiwan could maintain its non-member status in the organization. In the year since the 2005 ICCAT decision to slash Taiwan's quota by 70 percent, fishery officials have reduced Taiwan's fishing fleet by 160 vessels. With restoration of the quota to 14,900 tons, 34 vessels will likely be put back in service. Taiwan will continue its monitoring measures now in place. END SUMMARY -------------- -------------- REDUCTION OF FISHING FLEET CRUCIAL TO RECOVERING TAIWAN TUNA QUOTA -------------- -------------- ¶2. This year's ICCAT meeting, held in Dubrovnik, Croatia November 17- 26, produced full restoration of Taiwan's 14,900 ton big-eye tuna quota. This marks a complete reversal of the 2005 ICCAT decision to cut Taiwan's quota to 4,600 tons and represents a big gain for Taiwan's overseas fishing fleets. Fishery Agency officials told AIT the ICCAT decision was unanimous and the well-executed presentation by their delegation together with evidence of their progress in reducing Taiwan's fleet and close monitoring of fish catch was instrumental in winning back their full quota. They also acknowledged U.S. assistance in helping broker the deal. Following last year's ICCAT cuts in Taiwan's fishing quota, Taiwan fishery authorities embarked on a rigorous effort to pare down their fishing fleet, recalling 34 vessels from the Atlantic fishery and dismantling 160 vessels to satisfy ICCAT (ref b). These efforts paid off at the ICCAT meeting and members were convinced by Taiwan's efforts in reducing fishing capacity and efforts to improve monitoring and reporting of catches. -------------- -------------- THE IDLED 34 VESSELS WILL BE ALLOWED TO FISH -------------- -------------- ¶3. As part of Taiwan's efforts to reduce fishing vessels in the Atlantic, 34 tuna long-liners were recalled to Kaohsiung. ICCAT's latest ruling allows Taiwan to keep up to 64 vessels in the Atlantic. Taiwan fisheries officials indicated that current plans are limited to allowing the 34 idled vessels to resume operations in the Atlantic. Currently, Taiwan operates 15 vessels in the Atlantic. -------------- -------------- MONITORING MEASURES TO CONTINUE -------------- -------------- ¶4. Although pleased with their success at ICCAT, Taiwan fishery officials said they need to focus on continued oversight of their fishing fleets. Fishery officials said that ICCAT has relaxed its requirement for onboard inspectors on Taiwan fishing vessels, with only 10 percent of the vessels needing to comply versus 100 percent previously. ICCAT also relaxed the requirement for Taiwan vessels to report back to port for inspection every three months, so long as there is an inspector on board when a fish catch is transshipped at sea. However, ICCAT required Taiwan to work out a program to inspect their vessels flying foreign flags and to stop illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU). -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶5. Taiwan fishery officials are taking a conservative approach to their achievement at ICCAT. Rather than bringing their fishing fleet up to the 64 vessels allowed by ICCAT, they are letting 49 vessels operate in the Atlantic for the time being. In the coming days their efforts will be focused on formulating a comprehensive fisheries management plan to tighten control over their foreign flagged vessels and end illegal fishing. END COMMENT YOUNG