CHINESE COMMENTS ON NGOS'SWORDFISH PETITION

UNCLAS BEIJING 000656

STATE FOR EAP/CM - JON HABJAN
STATE FOR OES/OMC - DIEDRE WARNER-KRAMER
NOAA/NMFS FOR REBECCA LENT

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EFIS SENV OTRA CH
SUBJECT: CHINESE COMMENTS ON NGOS'SWORDFISH PETITION

REFTEL: A) STATE 17673 B) STATE 16255


1. (U) As requested in REFTELS, Post transmitted on February 23 the
text of the letter from Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Jim
Balsiger, inviting the Bureau of Fisheries at the Chinese Ministry
of Agriculture to comment on a recent petition by two NGO groups
concerning swordfish fisheries.


2. (U) On March 12, Mr. LIU Xiaobing, from the International
Cooperation Office at the Bureau of Fisheries responded with the
following written comments:

BEGIN ACTUAL TEXT:

Swordfish is an oceanic pelagic species, mostly caught by shallow
longline fishing gear operating around islands, and also the bycatch
species of deep longline operating in the high seas. In addition,
some recreational fishery also targeted or incidentally caught the
fish.

In fact, fishery data has shown that swordfish fishery could result
in the mortality of sea turtle and other marine protected species.
Most mortality of sea turtles may (be) attributed to shallow
longline fishing. But it should be noted that the situation is
improving and sea turtle mortality is reducing due to conservation
measures implemented:

--Regional Fishery Management Organizations have adopted resolution
concerning with sea turtle issues.

--Technical measures such as circle hooks, dehooker equipment etc
have been adopted by fishery step by step, consequently reducing the
incidental catch of sea turtles.

--Fishermen for swordfish are well informed and trained for
conservation of sea turtles.

According to scientific observer data, there are no interaction
between swordfish fishery and marine mammals. It is indicated that
zero mortality of marine mammals appeared at swordfish fishery. We
believe that implementation of more mitigation measure of bycatch by
fishery should be more effective to protect sea turtles and other
protected species compared with trade banning.

END TEXT


3. (U) Post will forward a scanned image of the original paper by
email to Dr. Rebecca Lent at NOAA/NMFS, the POC listed in REFTEL.


4. (SBU) COMMENT: Judging from the comments provided above, it is
clear that the Bureau of Fisheries remains sensitive to the prospect
of any ban on fish exports to the United States that is being
proposed in the name of reducing bycatch of protected living marine
resources (PLMRs). With China having been identified in January
2009 as an IUU fishing country under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and
with the clock on the two-year consultation period before formal
certification having begun, China will lose no opportunity to
register its view that appropriate and sufficient measures to
protect PLMRs are already being taken, and that China will continue
to oppose measures it views to be potentially trade protectionist.
END COMMENT

WEINSTEIN