World Fishing: What are your most important current projects and issues?
Dr Simon Cripps: WWF's Global Marine Programme endeavours to protect marine life and the oceans, and the livelihoods of those that depend on them. In partnership with users of the marine environment, e.g. shipping companies and the fishing sector, WWF strives to reduce the impacts of human activities on the oceans. The activities are focussed around a number of inspiring themes that engage a broad range of players including strengthening the governance of the high seas, promoting sustainable seafood to incentivise responsible fisheries, reducing bycatch, the unintended capture of marine life, and supporting the livelihoods of developing country populations.
WF: What have you achieved in recent years in terms of your objectives?
SC: With Unilever, who until recently was the world's largest buyer of frozen fish, WWF established the Marine Stewardship Council, the only independent assessment and certifying ecolabelling programme for marine fisheries. There are now 21 certified fisheries and 16 engaged in the process, edging on nearly 8% of global fisheries. In terms of strengthening the governing arrangements for the world's oceanic fisheries, WWF is supporting changes in management in every organisation responsible for the sustainable management of tuna fisheries and in the key organisations responsible for deep water species such as cod. WWF has also been a major player in revealing the illegal trade in fish species such as patagonian toothfish and bluefin tuna and the role that irresponsible flag states play in enabling those determined to flout the laws protecting marine life to do so.
WF: What is your opinion of the fishing industry?
SC: Fisherfolk whether providing for their families or local market in Tanzania or working aboard factory freezer trawlers for developed country markets are an intrinsic part of coastal communities the world over and provide a critical source of protein for humanity, let alone a highly pleasurable food. WWF values responsible fishing communities and seeks to partner with leaders from them where possible. WWF defines responsible according to our principles of ecosystem-based management (www.panda.org) and the Principles and Criteria enshrined in the Marine Stewardship Council process (www.msc.org).
WF: How successful is your cooperation with the fishing industry, and how could it be improved?
SC: WWF's cooperation with the fishing industry is very successful where trusting relationships have evolved. The fishing sector often term it 'enlightened self-interest'! WWF works closely with fisherfolk, whether the political representatives in the board rooms of Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina or the US through to small scale community fisheries in the Baltic and Russian Far East, Mexico, India, Spain and Ecuador. Apart from seeking more relationships that make operational change, there is potential for more effective working relationships between WWF and the global level fishing and seafood sector representatives. Areas of common interest need to be found and relationships built to take a common and constructive message to governments about the management changes that must be implemented if marine resources and the livelihoods that depend on them are to be secured.
WF: Which sectors/organisations have you found to be particularly helpful?
SC: Individual fishing companies of all types, cultures and sizes where there are charismatic, foresightful individuals and crews working together.
WF: Do you think there is a balance between local fisheries and the maintenance of the oceans?
SC: Absolutely a balance must be struck as fishing communities large and small the world over recognise that recovery of depleted marine ecosystems is the way to ensure livelihoods into the long term. WWF is able to support them in their quest to change to more sustainable types of gear, demand more responsible management and secure market advantage to recognise these changes.
WF: Are the deep sea operators more of a problem?
SC: They are no more of a problem than fishers and irresponsible managers who have depleted resources in coastal waters and then seek fisheries further offshore to maintain economic viability. What is a problem with 'deep sea' fisheries is that they are not recoverable in current economic timeframes. Deep water marine ecosystems are completely different in their regenerative ability because they are dark, cold environments inhabited by considerably more cryptic and ecologically 'slow' species. This is why, if some are to be fished at all, they must be fished at extremely precautionary levels within tightly controlled management.
WF: Are there any species of fish you feel that a moratorium should be issued on due to their vulnerability, or for any other reason. If so, which species are they?
SC: WWF is less keen on general moratoria on fish species and more concerned that damaging management or activities should not find a market. Chilean seabass, Orange Roughy, Humphead Wrasse, Big Eye Tuna and Bluefin Tuna (especially in the Mediterranean) are particularly at risk in certain regions and as such require better management before fishing continues. There are countless more species with high levels of concern for many reasons. Given the massive declines in predator species globally including the famous declines in species such as North Atlantic Cod and the Bluefin Tunas, WWF supports the philosophy of shifting the onus of proof to the seafood sector, so that globally traded species should be demonstrated as sustainable to be sold, rather than community groups having to prove there is sufficient concern for a species before any management action is taken.
WF: Do you feel that nations will be able to cooperate on the issue of over-fishing?
SC: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is 25 years old next year, its development and the daughter 'UN Fish Stocks Agreement' that came into force in 1999 were significant demonstrations that nations can cooperate. If key nations actually and effectively remove fishing subsidies, and reduce the number of fishing vessels to allow key populations to recover in the next ten years, there is hope that useful cooperation may restore the bounty of the oceans.
WF: What threat does global warming have on fish resources?
SC: Although there is much debate over the exact nature of the science, there is sufficient evidence in a number of examples, such as the effects of coral bleaching events on reef fish communities and of the North Sea Cod population spawning further north, for global warming to be a real threat to marine ecosystems and the resources within them. This threatens to prevent habitat and some species from recovering and the restoration of communities and livelihoods that depended upon them.
WF: What do you believe can be done to combat illegal fishing?
SC: A number of actions can be done simultaneously to combat illegal fishing. WWF was a partner in the development of the OECD High Seas Task Force on Illegal Fishing (http://www.high-seas.org/) that concluded its report in February of this year. Key governments, enforcement officials, port authorities, processors and retailers of fish as well as the public are all starting to play their role in tightening the net and seeking to make illegal fishing unprofitable. Additionally, the finance sector has a significant role to play to ensure that investors demonstrably know that their funds are not supporting illegal activities. Lastly, bodies such as the European Union need to make it possible for the owners of illegal vessels and fishing operations to be tracked and penalised and not hide behind front companies as was revealed in WWF's Flags of Convenience report in 2005.
