Regional Government defends specific quotas for tuna fleets using pole-and-line fishing gear
The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated in Horta that the Regional Government presented to the European Commission several measures that "positively discriminate" the fleets that catch tuna using traditional fishing gear, which are "less harmful to resources and pelagic ecosystems."
In this regard, Gui Menezes pointed out the implementation of "a special scheme for fleets using pole-and-line fishing gear" by creating "specific quotas in order to discriminate in a positive way their selective and sustainable nature."
The Regional Secretary spoke at the opening session of the First International Conference on Pole-and-Line Tuna Fishing. He stressed that pole-and-line tuna fishing with live bait "is part of the social and cultural heritage of the Azores," adding that the Regional Government, through various initiatives, intends to "value and preserve" this fishing technique.
"The high natural quality of wild tuna caught in the Azores Sea is recognised worldwide," the government official said, urging some tuna seiners in the archipelago to "start adopting new tuna conservation techniques in order to increasingly value this species.
"At a time when the international community is concerned about the overuse of intensive and non-selective gear," namely the use of gill nets and purse-seine fishing, pole-and-line tuna fishing should be recognised as "highly selective and "environment-friendly" since it does not have by-catches," said the Regional Secretary.
Gui Menezes highlighted the social and economic importance of tuna fishing in the Azores, stating that "it is fundamental for the canning industry insofar as it employs around 900 workers and annually generates about 66 million Euros in revenue."
Although tuna management is carried out internationally, the official stated that the Azorean Government has proposed to the European Commission, under the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), "the implementation of management measures to ensure that the tuna fishing industry and the canning industry may continue to provide a significant contribution to economic and social cohesion" in the Azores.
In this regard, the government official pointed out a series of measures that will contribute to "a better management of the tuna stock in several regions," namely the reduction of fish aggregating devices (FAD) "in order to avoid overfishing and reduce the negative impacts of its use on the migratory route of these species. He also mentioned "the opening of FAD-free migratory corridors and the restriction of the number of vessels operating in the Atlantic using purse-seine gear.
Gui Menezes considered that the creation of sea corridors free from fish aggregating devices, running in a south-north direction, can "minimise the effect" of these devices on the migratory habits of tunas and "allow tuna specimens to freely migrate to areas further north, including the Azores Sea ".
In his speech, the Regional Secretary emphasised the importance of the Azores Fisheries Observation Programme (POPA) and recalled that tuna fishing in the archipelago has been certified as "Dolphin Safe" since 1998 by the non-governmental organisation, Earth Island Institute.
Furthermore, Gui Menezes stressed that the Azorean tuna fleet "was one of the first fleets in the world to meet the 'Friend of the Sea'' criteria.
The Regional Secretary also pointed out that the Azorean Government will "encourage the use of by-products in the canning industry. They will be studied with the aim of searching for bioactive products with potential for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food industries."
"The use of organic waste from fishing will be an important step towards the protection of the environment," said the government official.
Organised by the Regional Secretariat for the Sea, Science and Technology, in partnership with the International Pole-and-Line Foundation, this international conference intends to discuss for two days the importance of tuna fishing in various regions of the world.
The sharing of best practices and the evaluation of the potential of pole-and-line fishing for the enhancement of fish products are some of goals of this event. It brings together in Horta about 200 participants from 15 countries, including political decision-makers, representatives of fishing associations, shipowners and fishers, researchers, traders and representatives of non-governmental organisations.
"We intend to take a strong position in the global context in order to defend this traditional fishing technique," Gui Menezes said, adding that it has "enormous potential for commercial growth, especially through new fish handling techniques."