Blue Life Hub’s Post

Two-thirds of the global tuna catch is from the Pacific Islands region, but illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is impacting these numbers. 🎣 A lack of fishing transparency at sea allows unsustainable and illegally caught fish to enter the global supply chain undetected. Accurate and reliable data is needed to ensure that the seafood on our plates has been harvested in compliance with fishery laws and social standards. To accelerate the use of on-the-water monitoring and eliminate IUU fishing at the source, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) launched the Tuna Transparency Pledge this year to get more #EyesOnTuna.  This global initiative unites key players throughout the seafood supply chain to advance 100% on-the-water monitoring on all industrial tuna vessels by 2027.    Sustainable fishing practices are crucial for protecting the various fish species that swim in global waters, including the prized tuna in the Asia Pacific.  🐟 The Tuna Transparency Pledge represents a bold yet achievable step in transforming the health and sustainability of our ocean. 🐠 🔗 Find out more about how TNC is fishing for the future: nature.ly/4fcomkg EU IUU Fishing Coalition Robert Jones Kelley Galownia Ben Gilmer Rob Johnson #TunaTransparencyPledge #TunaFishing #TheNatureConservancy 📸 Photo Credits: © Kevin Arnold; © Gregory Reid

A new study has estimated the effects of distant-water fishing enterprises known for previous unsustainable practices on the economies, employment, and well-being of Ecuador, Ghana, Peru, the Philippines, and Senegal. It underscores the urgent necessity for greater transparency and regulation to mitigate the severe impacts of #IUUfishing on national economies and the global marine ecosystem.

Irish fishing leaders have warned that a new trilateral deal between the UK, Norway and the Faroe Islands will lead to overfishing of Ireland’s fish stocks. The three-year deal gives the two Nordic non-EU states permission to catch 154,000 metric tonnes of mackerel annually in UK waters. Mackerel is a shared migratory pelagic species that the Irish seafood sector is very heavily reliant on. Under the agreement, the Faroe Islands get 98,708 tonnes of mackerel, equivalent to 13.35% of the internationally agreed 739,386-tonne TAC. The agreement gives Norway a 31% share, 229,210 tonnes, while the UK gets 27.48%, or 203,211 tonnes. The five fishing organisations are calling on MEPs and the Minister for the Marine to urgently speak out against the UK-Nordic deal to force an end to unsustainable overfishing. In striking the deal, they accuse the three non-EU nations of using self-inflated quotas, that have previously seen them overfish by up to 44 % yearly. The EU fixes quotas for member states but has no power to prevent non-EU States like Norway and the Faroe Islands from setting and inflating their own fishing quotas.

The French fishing crisis on the front page of the “marin” A few weeks before the Fisheries and Seafood Conference which is being held in Lorient, “the sailor” devotes his May report to a sector which is going through a very bad time. The fishing industry, faced with several crises, is resisting. But until when? How many crises will the sector still have to face?  Barely forgotten that of covid, that of Brexit arose, with direct consequences in 2023: the loss of licenses in British waters and the outright destruction of part of the deep-sea fleet. Leaving many fishermen at the docks from Hauts-de-France to the south of the Bay of Biscay. And it didn't stop there. At the end of the year, fishermen across the western Atlantic learned that they would not escape the closure of the Bay of Biscay for a month at the start of 2024. Another hard blow for the profession which wonders if it will ever see The end of the tunnel. Because other clouds are still gathering above its head: in the north, where certain fishermen will be prohibited from working in British and Belgian marine protected areas, in the south where a West Med 2 plan is looming which could further constrain activity, and, again in the Bay of Biscay, where a new closure is envisaged from the beginning of 2025. And what about fuel aid, the renewal of which is far from being confirmed. The cup is full. The entire sector impacted Today the entire sector is suffering because, deprived of inputs, many ports have seen their activity plummet. And fish merchants must now find other sources of supply. Not to mention the equipment manufacturers and construction sites whose health is also weakened. In this context, the sector will have difficulty responding to the decarbonization efforts to which it is asked to comply. Also in the contents of this May issue: the disappointed expectations of European purse seiners in the Indian Ocean, the financial needs of European commercial ports to develop their activities, the positive repercussions of the crisis in the Red Sea on the western Mediterranean ports, the Green mineral's solution to exploit funds in Norway, the full boom in oil and gas orders, the government's promises concerning the timetable for the deployment of wind power and the means of the Cross de La Garde in the Mediterranean on the eve of major meetings you popular. via Blogger https://ift.tt/LFhMCif May 26, 2024 at 07:30AM

More EU fishing nonsence! In April this year the UK banned Sand Eel fishing in its waters to protect this foundation species and the other dependent species of fish and birds that rely on it. Overfishing in prior years had led to collapsing cod and haddock stocks, and even to starving sea birds and seals being washed up on British beaches. The EU is now opposing the UK's ban such that it can continue to harvest sand eels for processing into pig feed supplements. So now you know why Danish Bacon has been so cheap... IMHO this is the most crass form of ecological vandalism. https://lnkd.in/eMN68fRH #eu #brussels #fishing #policy #agriculture #brexit #sustainability #environment #supplychain

EU challenges UK ban on sand eel fishing The European Union has started proceedings against the UK under the post-Brexit trade deal dispute settlement mechanism regarding the UK’s decision to prohibit the fishing of sand eel. England and Scotland announced a prohibition on commercial sand eel fishing earlier this year, a move conservationists welcomed. Sand eels – small, eel-like fish which typically live in vast shoals – are a vital food source for some of the UK’s most vulnerable seabirds and marine mammals. The EU said in its announcement that the closure ‘significantly restricts access for EU vessels to this fishery. The EU questions the compatibility of the full and permanent closure of the fishery with the principles and obligations under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.' Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eiPa8HB9 Oceana UK Hugo Tagholm RSPB Kirsten Carter #Fisheries #Brexit #Sandeel #MarineConservation

“With more than 90% of the world’s fish stocks either fully fished or overfished, Chinese boats must sail ever further to fill their nets. They are racing each other, literally and morally, to the bottom of the global fish barrel.” Our newly released investigation has uncovered rampant illegal fishing and human rights abuses onboard Chinese fishing vessels off the coasts of Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and Madagascar. The impact is bleak. The treatment of crew members we interviewed amounts to “conditions of modern slavery”, while illegal fishing is devastating the livelihoods of local fishers. Read more on our new report in The Economist:  https://lnkd.in/en4Z-6Ky

Essay: We’ve measured the cost of unsustainable industrial fishing on coastal communities – and it’s vast. MIREN GUTIÉRREZ, an investigator global affairs thinktank ODI, outlines what her investigations have revealed… Sight Magazine #fishingindustry #globalfishing #sharkfinning #sustainablefishing #saikotrade #FishyBusiness https://lnkd.in/gQT-Pk7s

The Strategic Importance of Hurghada and Africa for Turkey’s Fishing Industry in the Context of BRICS Hurghada, located in Egypt but closer to Sudan, sits at the crossroads of significant geopolitical developments. The rise of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Russia’s involvement in Libya, Ethiopia's influence in Somalia, and China’s growing presence across the African continent all create new challenges and opportunities for Turkey. The potential entry into BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) offers a new platform for collaboration, especially in sectors like fishing. Fishing is a crucial industry for Turkey, and the African continent, with its vast coastlines and rich marine biodiversity, offers enormous potential. Collaboration with BRICS countries could help Turkey expand its fishing operations, share technology, and increase exports to African markets. China's increasing presence in Africa through infrastructure projects and port investments may open doors for Turkey to collaborate on sustainable fishing projects, tapping into the fisheries of the Red Sea and the broader Indian Ocean. Additionally, entering BRICS could offer Turkey a competitive advantage in terms of market access, as well as leverage in negotiating fishing rights, trade agreements, and investments in fish processing and export infrastructure. Strengthening ties with countries like South Africa, another BRICS member, could also lead to shared initiatives to protect marine resources, ensuring long-term sustainability for the fishing industry in the region. In conclusion, joining BRICS could provide Turkey with opportunities to grow its fishing sector by enhancing cooperation across Africa and securing its influence in a region rich in untapped marine resources.

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is on the rise, threatening marine life, food security, and coastal economies worldwide. The 2023 IUU Fishing Risk Index reveals a worsening global trend. Stronger regulations, global cooperation, and technology investments are crucial to reversing this alarming trajectory. Dive into the full report to learn how IUU fishing is impacting our oceans and what needs to be done to tackle this crisis: https://lnkd.in/eEHbzTcV #IUUFishing #MarineBiodiversity #SustainableFishing #OceanConservation #FoodSecurity #GlobalAction #FishingRegulations #ClimateChange