NZ SEAFOOD INDUSTRY COUNCIL WELCOMES LAW OF THE SEA TRIBUNAL DECISION ON TUNA
The New Zealand Seafood Industry Council General Manager Trade and Information Alastair Macfarlane said today that the
Council was delighted with the decision by the Law of Sea International Tribunal to order the Japanese to abide by
agreed catch quotas for Southern Blue Fin Tuna agreed by the commission for the Conservation of and Management of
Southern Blue Fin Tuna (CCSBT).
New Zealand and Australia objected to Japan catching more than its 6065 tonnes quota under the guise of “experimental
fishing.” New Zealand is allowed to catch 420 tonnes and Australia over 5000 tonnes. The fishery is worth about $10
million to New Zealand.
“Now that the Tribunal has reached an interim decision,we are hoping that Japan, NZ and Australia will sort this issue
out quickly so that the spotlight can be focused on the uncontrolled fishing activities of other nations who are also
catching Southern BluefinTuna. The Tribunal has given the three countries until October 6 to reach a solution and we are
hopeful that all parties can come to an agreement before that date,” he said.
“The dispute between the 3 parties, who currently make up the CCSBT has stymied efforts to find a way to bring
Indonesia, Korea and Taiwan into the Agreement. As a result several thousand tonnes of Southern Bluefin Tuna are being
caught annually without coming under control of the agreement. That will undoubtedly jeopardise the long term
sustainability of this fishery.”