Accountability.Fish shares IOTC decisions

The organisation has previously accused the IOTC of a lack of transparency around decision making.

“Once again, as the IOTC doesn’t report out the actions taken by individual countries in its proceedings, the responsibility has fallen to us to corroborate and publish the actual results,” said Accountability.Fish global director, Ryan Orgera.

“It seems clear that a lot of these decisions are being made in private before the meetings actually take place.

“Shedding a light on the process can at least expose it for the sham that it often is.”

In total 11 proposals were adopted and seven withdrawn.

Adopted:

• Measures on drifting FADs, in particular the push for them to be made from fully biodegradable materials.
• Korea’s proposal to amend the resolution on climate change to define the tasks of a working group focused on the effects of climate change on ecosystems and bycatch.
• Proposal to tackle marine pollution such as plastic waste.
• Proposal to better monitor transhipments to reduce the possibility of IUU fishing.
• Proposal to better record vessels suspected of being involved in IUU fishing.
• Proposal to set total allowable catch limits for swordfish.
• Proposal to set total allowable catch limits for skipjack tuna.
• Proposal to increase scientific observer coverage of IOTC fisheries.
• A ban on discards of bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna and yellowfin tuna.
• Better administrative management of CMMs.
• Tightening of the wording around expectations on member states to comply with CMMs.

Withdrawn:

• The proposal to establish a high seas boarding and inspection scheme.
• EU proposal to closure fisheries to vessels over 12m fishing bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack.
• Mandatory statistical reporting.
• Recording and reporting catch and effort data.
• Yellowfin rebuilding plan.
• Measures to ensure sharks are landed with fins naturally attached.
• Establishing a mandatory list of vessels presumed engaged in IUU fishing.