EAA Position on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna management

1 - Data collection

Recreational fishing data are stored in the ICCAT database under two categories: “sport (SP) and recreational (RR - Rod and Line) fisheries”. Since 2006 ICCAT adopted two definitions for recreational fishing², which do not fully comply with the data collected and stored already in the database. Above all, old and new data seem not fit for present management needs as not all relevant recreational fisheries segments are identified or kept separate in a non-ambiguous way. Therefore:

EAA suggest these categories to be established for ICCAT data collection purposes:

- Recreational Angling (rod and line and hand lines); eventually a sub-category “competition fishing”

- Charter boating (business: boat taking anglers onboard against payment)

- Recreational Spear Fishing; eventually a sub-category “competition spear fishing”

- Other recreational fishing; this category may be needed for the ICCAT database to be complete.

EAA requests that socio-economic studies on recreational fishing for tuna be carried out as soon as possible and repeated e.g. every three years.

Often the recreational angling sector is treated as inferior to other fish exploiting interests or even a threat to them. This is a gross neglect of the huge economic contribution and the many jobs created and sustained by the recreational angling sector. Solid and repeated socio-economic studies may help to change this mistreatment of a sector, which delivers more benefits and income per fish than any other. The decision makers need this information to be able to make informed decisions about sustainable fisheries management. EU and its Member States are already obliged “where relevant” to carry out pilot surveys “to estimate the importance of recreational fisheries” for certain species in certain areas. For the Mediterranean Sea is mentioned surveys may be carried out for eels and Bluefin tuna⁴.

3 – Tagging & release practices

ICCAT REC 13-09 enunciates for Western Atlantic BFT management. CPCs should encourage commercial and recreational fishermen to tag and release all fish < 30 kg or, alternatively, fork length <115 cm and report on steps taken in this regard in their Annual Report in Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean as well^5.

Many European anglers are seriously involved with conservation and recovery of this species, working hard side by side with scientific institutions. Anglers take part e.g. in the ICCAT/GBYP project⁶ as volunteers, helping scientists with data collection.

4 – Sales exemption to be revised

ICCAT Recommendation of 2013⁷, paragraphs 35 and 39, and Council Regulation (EC) 302/20098 Art. 12 should be revised. EAA suggests to delete the sales exception made for charitable purposes or, alternatively, alter to allow fish (not money) for charitable purposes -e.g. donate the fish to canteens for old people, schools etc.

5 – Recreational catch limits

EAA suggests ICCAT to introduce a seasonal bag limit for any authorized recreational boat.

ICCAT Recommendation 13-07⁹, paragraph 34, should be revised. EAA suggests that “CPCs shall take

a) Make catch and release obligatory in fishing competitions targeting tuna.

b) Prohibit the catch and retention on board, transshipment or landing of more than one Bluefin tuna per recreational boat per day.

c) Introduce a seasonal landing limit for each authorized recreational vessel. This limit, fixed at Member State level, should take into account both the number of recreational vessels authorized and the recreational fishing quota, in order to distribute more fairlyto the recreational fishing quota among the authorized recreational vessels.

d) Allow Catch and Release BFT fishing practice all year round¹⁰

7 – Recreational angling should be managed in its own right

EAA requests that recreational angling for tuna is managed in its own right independent of other tuna exploiting interests. Fish stocks are a public resource – and should remain so.

EAA agrees with EU Commissioner Damanaki that “fish stocks are a public resource”¹² and also that “ITQs would not be property, but user right, because the resource remains a public good”¹³. However, the Commission needs to make a proposal how to secure the public´s access to the Bluefin tuna resource independently of ITQs allocated to commercial exploiters. In particular to secure that recreational angling for tuna is not closed for reason that the commercial sector has used up its quota, or its wish for additional quota. EAA suggests that the EU Member States should find a way how to avoid, that when a few commercial fishermen overfish their quota or a few individuals fish illegally, that these circumstances do not cause early closure of the recreational fishing season. We suggest, for example:

a) The recreational fishing season open all year or till the recreational quota is used up^14.

b) and/or to increase the observer coverage percentage on active longline catching vessels^15.

c) and/or that at national level longline fisheries are obliged to declare catches at least bi-weekly¹⁶

8 - EAA requests recreational angling sector is allocated a fair share of the tuna quotas

• EAA position paper Atlantic Bluefin Tuna 2014