By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is heading into a decisive week in Manila in December, with one of the region’s most prominent tuna advocates warning that members are still avoiding the “hard truths” on monitoring and high-seas transshipment.
In an interview with PACNEWS, Sharks Pacific Policy Director Bubba Cook said he sees only limited movement on electronic monitoring and no guarantee of meaningful action on high-seas transshipment — one of the most politically charged issues before the Commission.
“I don’t see ‘concrete progress’ occurring at this meeting with respect to electronic monitoring/observer coverage,” Cook said.
“But I do see some modest steps forward with the agreement of audit standards for Electronic Monitoring (EM) programmes and renewed leadership and momentum on the Electronic Reporting and Electronic Monitoring (EREM)Working Group.”
He said entrenched resistance remains a problem.
“Those same countries and fleets that have traditionally opposed increased observer coverage will continue to oppose it, until technology and markets make it an unavoidable necessity to sell tuna anywhere in the world,” he said.
On high-seas transshipment, Cook was blunt: hopes exist, but confidence does not.
“I am hopeful, but certainly not confident, that there will be any meaningful steps taken toward reforming high seas transshipment at this meeting,” he told PACNEWS.
Cook said the proposal from Korea does little to fix the problem.
“The proposal from Korea is effectively a ‘heads we win, tails you lose’ proposal, where they effectively retain the status quo while shifting any burden for monitoring, control, and surveillance on to the SIDS,” he said.
He added there is “a pretty broad chasm” between what the Asian distant-water fishing nations (ADWFN) want to maintain their ability to transship with minimal scrutiny and what is needed to protect the region.
Cook said Pacific Island states have reached a breaking point, highlighting the Marshall Islands’ proposal to ban high-seas transshipment outright.
“That is, incidentally, the same thing they called for back in 2008,” he noted.
But the biggest barrier, he argued, is the WCPFC’s consensus system, which allows members to stonewall even modest reforms.
“The consensus process of the WCPFC allows the ADWFN the ability to dig in their heels and simply oppose any meaningful improvements to transshipment monitoring and accountability without consequence,” Cook said.
He warned that the only way to break the stalemate may be to force the matter to a vote.
“That would at least hold the ADWFN fully accountable for their opposition to reform through fundamentally basic improvements,” he said.
As the Manila meeting nears, Cook says all eyes will be on whether the Commission continues to avoid direct confrontation over high-seas accountability or finally decides to act.
