Ecuador’s tuna sector is hoping to resume negotiations for its canned tuna exports to enter the U.S. tariff free as soon as President Lucio Gutiérrez takes office and Foreign Trade and Foreign Affairs ministers are appointed.
National Fishery Chamber’s president César Rohón indicated that the exclusion of Ecuador's canned tuna from the Andean Tariff Preference Agreement (ATPA) has caused a loss of nearly USD 500 million in export revenue.
Since the United Stated excluded Ecuadorian canned tuna from the ATPA at the end of August 2002, Ecuador can only sell tuna in pouches with a zero tariff, but production plants aren't yet sufficiently geared towards that packaging.
According to Rohón, this is not only resulting in loss of export revenue for the country but would also result in loss of company income and loss of loss of wages for about 20,000 women working in the tuna canneries.
The inclusion of canned tuna in the ATPA will help develop Ecuador's canned tuna industry, and therefore the sector will continue to insist on including the Preferential Andean Tariff ruling.
Ecuador already achieved "dolphin safe" status thanks to its fleet complying with international responsibilities and not harming dolphins during tuna fishing operations.
For the Mexican tuna industry, this year started well as the U.S. agreed to accept imports of Mexican canned tuna bearing the "dolphin safe" label. According to Rohon Mexico will now compete with Ecuador's tuna, which already carries the "dolphin safe" label.
Despite the threat to Ecuador’s position within the U.S. market, because of the decision to lift its ban on Mexican tuna, the Ecuador tuna sector is hoping to have the opportunity of filling the gap on the Mexican market, when this country would exports more tuna to the U.S.
Rohón said that this situation might give Ecuadorian fishermen the chance to sell more tuna in Mexico.