ANFACO Questions Neutrality Reviewers EU-PNG Tuna Agreementff

By Atuna

The European Commission (EC) has selected a team of consultants to review the agreements that the European Union (EU) keeps with Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Fiji.

However, the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Seafood (ANFACO) expressed its “dissatisfaction” as it believes that there is a “conflict of interest” given that the experts chosen for the task are linked to the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), a body responsible for advising on fisheries management in the Pacific Ocean.

According to Anfaco, “the FFA has always had a belligerent attitude against European tuna companies, in order to prevent their presence in the Pacific.” Integrated in the FFA are countries such as Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauro, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Anfaco questions the “neutrality and objectivity” of the team of experts, thereby claiming the EC should “rectify this serious and obvious conflict of interest.” It also believes that the Pacific Association and Collaboration Agreement seriously affects the community interests and benefits Papua New Guinea.

PNG currently produces 480 tons daily. According to data published by La Voz de Galicia, the PNG tuna industry expects to produce roughly 1,330 tons of tuna per day throughout the next two years; as soon as the 5 plants now under construction are operational. If this is embodied, it could become the new worldwide tuna leader in 2013, while it will greatly harm the 67 canneries in Galicia and their 12,000 employees.

Anfaco representatives attended the meeting held Tuesday in Brussels, when the consultants were selected and on behalf of the canning industry in Spain. Anfaco rejected the three selected nominees to conduct the study:  Liam Campling, who is leading developer of the Pacific fisheries, Amanda Hamilton who is responsible for communications at the FFA for the promotions of local factories and Anthony Lewis head of the tuna tagging program in the Pacific.

Mr. Juan Manuel Vieites, Anfaco Secretary General, said “We consider that there is a conflict of interests, as the EC has commissioned the analysis to those who have developed the fishing there. It seems that in Brussels they want results in favor of the continuation of the agreement.”

Anfaco questions the “neutrality and objectivity” of the selected team and calls on the EC to “rectify this serious and obvious conflict of interest.”