By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
Sharks Pacific Policy Director Bubba Cook says the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) faces a defining moment in Manila, warning that failure to adopt a management procedure for South Pacific albacore would hit Pacific economies and undermine the credibility of the Commission.
In an interview with PACNEWS, Cook warned that the decision will shape the future of a fishery that underpins the economies of several Pacific Island nations and will also test the Commission’s ability to deliver science-based management instead of political deadlock.
“My biggest expectation with South Pacific Albacore is that there is enough incentive among the members, particularly among those that wish to maintain MSC certification, that they will adopt a management procedure,” he said.
He expects the issue to define the meeting in Manila.
“I think this issue will take up the majority of the time and energy expended by the WCPFC this year,” Cook said.
But he noted that while the target tuna stocks remain stable, pressure is mounting for the Commission to address broader ecosystem impacts.
“As evidenced by statements from the Executive Director and Chair earlier this year, as well as the presence of the several papers on Non-Target and Associated or Dependent Species (NTADS; also ‘bycatch’) I believe we will see a shift of focus toward these issues, noting that the target tuna stocks remain ‘in the green’ while many of the bycatch species are at best data deficient and at worst declining or heavily depleted.”
Cook said South Pacific albacore carries particular weight for Pacific nations.
“South Pacific Albacore is a critical issue for the FFA member states. For many FFA members, SP ALB is a ‘bread and butter’ species — it pays the bills through both fishing and processing revenue,” he said.
Because of this, he believes FFA members will arrive in Manila exceptionally well-prepared.
“I think there is very strong incentives for them to secure a management procedure that maintains certification status into key markets and ensures better long-term sustainability,” Cook said.
“For these reasons, I think there is plenty of room for negotiation and compromise to determine allocations that meet the expectations and aspirations of all members.”
But most importantly, he said the FFA has done the hard work needed to back up its proposal.
“I believe that the FFA members are entering the discussion this year as prepared as they could possibly be with all of the analyses and justifications that would make it extremely difficult for any other member to claim a lack of understanding or information,” he said.
Cook said the consequences of inaction would be immediate and costly.
“If the WCPFC fails to adopt the management procedure, it could result in the loss of MSC certification for many fisheries and, commensurately, associated market access and premiums, so there could be a significant economic hit for those members’ fisheries,” he said.
But the damage would not stop there.
“More broadly, failure to agree to a management procedure means the process remains mired in the annual protracted and heavily political decision-making process that is only tangentially based in a foundation of science,” Cook said.
He warned that without a management procedure, any future decisions on catch levels remain vulnerable to political bargaining rather than scientific thresholds.
While albacore is likely to dominate the headlines, Cook said he expects this year’s meeting to signal a shift toward broader ecosystem and bycatch issues.
He highlighted several discussions and submissions tabled for Manila that indicate growing concern among Commission members.
“While the target tuna stocks remain ‘in the green’, many of the bycatch species are at best data deficient and at worst declining or heavily depleted,” he said.
He said this creates pressure on the Commission to show that it can manage not just target species, but the wider marine environment affected by tuna fisheries.
Cook said the Manila meeting could set a precedent on whether the WCPFC is ready to move toward modern, science-based harvest strategies rather than year-to-year political negotiations.
“Harvest strategy management, including through the use of established and, effectively, automated management procedures, ensures that management steps to adjust catch levels to ensure long term sustainability do not get hijacked by the economic and political considerations of any single member,” he said.
Cook said Manila represents a rare alignment of political will, scientific groundwork and market pressure and he believes members understand what is at stake.
Whether the Commission can deliver on that convergence, he said, will determine the future of South Pacific albacore and, by extension, the credibility of the WCPFC itself.
