Posted on 28
September 2009 - Bergen, Norway: The Northwest
Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) implemented
no new measures to control cod bycatch despite
bycatch levels on the southern Grand Banks
reaching more than twice the target levels.
While Canada, supported
by the European Union, argued that bycatch
had to be reduced, NFAO turned its back
on a 2007 commitment to consider additional
measures to control bycatch if voluntary
measures failed. It is generally accepted
that boats from the EU played the largest
role in the bycatch over-runs, which reached
119 per cent in 2008.
NAFO joins a long list
of regional fisheries management organisations
worldwide facing increasing criticism for
presiding over the continuing collapse of
key fisheries and the failure of recovery
in others. Cod is central to perceptions
of NAFO’s effectiveness, with the celebrated
spectacular collapse and closure of the
Grand Banks cod fishery in the 11000s.
Excessive bycatch of
cod has undermined a moratorium imposed
in 1994, peaking in 2003 when bycatch amounts
were estimated at up to 80 per cent of the
remaining spawning cod stock.
“NAFO did not bring
in necessary measures to reduce bycatch
of Grand Banks cod, which will further prevent
recovery”, said Dr. Robert Rangeley, Vice-President,
WWF-Canada, Atlantic Region.
“However, there is a
glimmer of hope. Canada has clearly demonstrated
the ability to bring bycatch of cod under
control in its own waters and NAFO’s Scientific
Council has been directed to recommend concrete
measures to reduce bycatch next year.”
In what WWF views as
a flawed decision, NAFO re-opened the one
minor Grand Banks fishery where recovery
can be demonstrated, with catch quotas 33
percent higher than the levels recommended
by its Scientific Council and supported
by Norway, the USA and WWF. The Flemish
Cap cod fishery (3M) reached the NAFO rebuilding
target after a 10 year moratorium.
Some progress was made
on the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems
(VMEs) from the impacts of bottom fishing,
with NAFO agreeing to close 2500 nautical
square miles of the proposed areas identified
in locations where bottom fishing is likely
to result in the prevention of significant
adverse impacts on coldwater coral forests
and sponge reefs.
However, NAFO is still
failing to properly assess impacts to vulnerable
areas where fishing is currently being conducted.
These impacts would
have been better assessed had NAFO adopted
the proposal by the US to follow new UN
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
guidelines for impact assessment. NAFO had
committed to implement these measures by
January 1, 2010, yet impact assessments
will not be conducted until 2011 at the
earliest.
