U.S. Treaty Nego’s Start In July 2010 - Vital To Future Of US Tuna Fleetff

By Atuna

If 40 U.S flagged tuna purse seiners will be allowed to continue fishing in the Western Central Pacific Ocean after 2013, will be determined by the outcome of the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between Certain Governments of the Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America (commonly referred in the tuna industry as the “US Treaty”).  The US Treaty first started in 1987 and it has been renewed on two occasions, with the last renewal in 2003 and to run for 10 years until 2013. 

The US Treaty enables US purse seine fishing vessels to fish in the waters of the 16 Pacific Island Parties which are: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) is the administrator of the Treaty, in which no Southern bluefin tuna should be targeted and purse seiners are the only fishing gear allowed to operate under the agreement.

The US Treaty terms stated that the government of US would have the right to place 55 purse seiners in the area, annually, subject to the payment of 4 million USD during the period. In 2003, the number of vessels was reduced to 45 and the annual payments raised to 18 million dollars.

Currently, according to FFA press contact Anouk Ride, the Treaty allows 40 purse-seiners to operate in the area, with a few exceptions regarding location. A new number and value will be negotiated for the next ten years, from 2013.

Recently an annual consultation between certain governments of the Pacific Island States and the US ended in new agreements related to observer program budget, Vessel Day Scheme (VDS) and broader cooperation issues. The latter states basically that he U.S. will make available a U.S. trade/market presentation on those matters during next meeting, scheduled in July 26-31, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

This is a clear sign that Pacific states are longing for a larger share of the profits from the US tuna industry in the area.

The meeting is part of an additional agreement between the Pacific Island Parties and the US in which they will continue the renegotiation based on a timetable with an aimed completion of the renegotiation by March 2012, one year before the actual expiry of the current Treaty arrangement. The next annual consultation will be held in Majuro, Marshall Islands, 2011.