A joint effort between the fishery managements of the United States and the European Union to combat pirate fishing — illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) — is being stepped up with actions on two continents.
A signing agreement took place on Wednesday, Sept. 7, in Washington D.C. with Dr. Jane Lubchenco, U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and the head of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Ms. Maria Damanaki, European Union commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The ceremony was held at the National Press Club in the Ronald Reagan Intl. Trade Center.
Ellen Peel, the president of The Billfish Foundation said the non-profit conservation organization applauds the steps the policy makers on both continents are taking as fishing piracy across the globe cost 500,000 fishermen their jobs and income, and $23 billion worth of seafood annually plus un-measurable harm on the environment and health of the oceans.
“And for a countless number of recreational fishing opportunities it’s a huge loss,” said Peel. “IUU fishing impacts all US fishing interests, recreational and commercial, for these ?international fishing pirates’ are exerting enormous pressure on the stocks of highly migratory fish – tunas, billfish and sharks – accelerating overfishing. This means less is available to support the legitimate industries that are regulated and fish by the rules,” added Peel, who is also the U.S. Recreational Fishing Commissioner to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
ICCAT is the international fishery management organization formed by a multilateral treaty that manages, through consensus, highly migratory fish throughout the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean Sea and all adjacent waters.
“We congratulate the commitment of these two women in their leadership roles to address the IUU fisheries and their common vision and their commitment to fisheries management being based on science,” said Ms. Peel.
The next ICCAT negotiations will be held in Istanbul, Turkey in November.Ms. Peel will be one of the three U.S. Commissioners representing US fishing
Established 25 years ago, The Billfish Foundation is the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to conserving and enhancing billfish populations globally.TBF’s comprehensive network of members and supporters includes anglers, captains, mates, tournament directors, and clubs and sportfishing businesses. By coordinating efforts and speaking with one voice, TBF is able to work for solutions that are good for billfish and not punitive to recreational anglers.
For more visit www.billfish.org or phone Ms. Peel at 800-438-8247 ex 108.By: Pete Johnson / Johnson Communications
