Posted on 26 June 2010
The 62nd annual
International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting
ended today with governments failing to
reach an agreement on a proposed package
on whaling.
The IWC, which began
Monday, took the unprecedented decision
to open discussions at this year’s meeting
behind closed doors, shutting out civil
society and members of the news media. The
Commission also did not allow NGOs to speak
until late Thursday.
Negotiations fell apart
on a proposal by the Commission’s Chair
that attempted to reduce current whaling
and bring it under the IWC’s control. WWF
did not support the proposal as drafted,
but was urging the IWC to find a solution
that would at a minimum eliminate whaling
in the Southern Ocean, a critical whale
feeding ground, and halt whaling of threatened
species.
“The IWC has been at
a standstill for several years now. While
the Chair’s proposal was not acceptable
as drafted, we are left with a situation
in which yet again, Japan’s whaling fleet
will kill hundreds of whales in the Southern
Ocean in the name of ‘science’,” said Wendy
Elliott, WWF International Species Manager
“At this IWC meeting,
politics have yet again won over the conservation
of whales. The IWC’s commercial whaling
ban was one of the greatest conservation
achievements of our time, saving many whale
species from the brink of extinction.
“But that decision was
made more than 20 years ago. It is time
for the IWC to become relevant again and
step up to its responsibility to help save
these majestic animals that are so crucial
to the health of our oceans.”
“This year has been
a disaster for marine species, mainly driven
by a complete disregard for scientific advice
by some governments. Only three months ago,
the international community failed to agree
on critical protection for several marine
species at the meeting of the United Nation’s
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES), including an urgently needed
international ban on commercial trade of
Atlantic bluefin tuna.
“This trend of failure
to protect our marine environment must be
reversed, or everyone, not just fishing
and whaling countries, will be in deep trouble
as the oceans are emptied.”
“The international community
must implement a science-based recovery
and management plan for the Atlantic bluefin
tuna fishery at the next meeting of its
management body, the International Commission
on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, in
November” Elliott said.
Some conservation achievements
were made this week - for example the Commission
decided to investigate the impacts of oil
and gas exploration and development in the
Arctic, a critical initiative in the wake
of the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico.
“This kind of work is
the real future of the IWC,” Elliott said.
As one of the NGO speakers
on Thursday, WWF’s Mammadou Diallo suggested
to the Commission that a speaking mechanism
is adopted similar to other international
conventions such as CITES, where the NGOs
participate in the decision-making through
interventions on agenda items after governments
speak.
Diallo also said the
IWC should consider creating a sponsorship
programme for delegates from developing
countries to avoid further allegations of
vote-buying, such as those published in
media reports prior to this week’s meeting.
+ More
Australian prawn fishery
tries for major certification
Posted on 01 June 2010
South Australia’s Spencer Gulf prawn fishery
will undergo the world’s most rigorous environmental
assessment for fisheries in the hope of
becoming the first sustainable prawn fishery
in Australia.
If successful, it will
give consumers the chance to buy Australian
prawns bearing the Marine Stewardship Council’s
(MSC) logo - an environmentally friendly
alternative to all other prawns available
on the market.
“The Spencer Gulf prawn
fishery is already a real industry leader
when it comes to sustainability, not just
in Australia but globally,” said Alfred
Schumm WWF’s Global Smart Fishing Initiative
Leader.
“All over the world
we’ve seen overfishing and poor regulation
lead to the collapse of fish stocks and
the industries that rely on them. The fishermen
working in the Spencer Gulf know that to
have a viable industry in the future, they
need to be environmentally sustainable now.”
The Spencer Gulf prawn
fishing industry has already taken difficult
but voluntary steps to improve its environmental
credentials. Measures such as at-sea research
into stock levels; compliance to make sure
skippers are adhering to best practice;
co-management between industry, researchers
and regulators and voluntary area closures
have enabled this fishery to sustain its
operations over several decades.
As a result, fishing
vessel numbers have remained constant at
39 since 1979, while other fisheries have
seen operators forced to leave the industry
due to untenable practices.
“The industry’s proactive
stance on sustainability has meant catch
levels have remained stable. It’s highly
likely there will be a viable industry for
decades to come, one which will continue
to provide jobs and a healthy ecosystem,”
said Mr Schumm.
The Spencer Gulf fishery
has the world’s largest known population
of western king prawns and is worth over
AUD $40 million annually to local fishermen.
Karen Hollamby from
the Spencer Gulf & West Coast Prawn
Fisherman’s Association Inc said the local
industry would continue to improve its environmental
performance.
“It’s great to be undergoing
a process where an independent third party
may also recognise our commitment. The Association
will continue to strive for improvements
in the fishery that enhance environmental
performance and also attract better returns
for fishers.”
The assessment for MSC
certification may take up to 12 months while
an independent assessment team analyses
every element of the fishery - including
gear types, impacts of operations on the
ecosystem and the health of prawn stocks
- in order to score the fishery against
the MSC standard.
Australia & New
Zealand Marine Stewardship Council Manager
Patrick Caleo said he was pleased by recent
moves towards MSC and expected to see strong
demand for sustainable seafood.
“I hope this encourages
other fisheries interested in demonstrating
their sustainability using a credible, science-based
third-party assessment to come forward and
seek MSC certification.”
WWF-Australia’s Peter
Trott said the conservation organisation
was working with the local industry and
helping to fund the fishery’s assessment
for MSC certification, as an example to
the entire fishing industry.
“We really welcome the
chance to establish the Spencer Gulf fishery
as a blueprint for sustainability. MSC assessment
will also mean the industry can continue
to improve its environmental credentials.”
