China s Growing Tuna Fishing Fleet in the Pacific Ocean: A Samoan Fisheries Perspective

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1 China s Growing Tuna Fishing Fleet in the Pacific Ocean: A Samoan Fisheries Perspective Prepared by: Joyce Samuelu-Ah Leong China and The Pacific: the view from Oceania National University of Samoa, 25 th 27 th February 2015

2 Presentation Objectives 1. Focus on the South Pacific Longline/Albacore Tuna Fisheries. 2. Highlight the current status of stocks and of fishery in the South Pacific region: focus on Samoa and China 3. Highlight the influence of China on this fishery and how it impacts Samoa and the region.

3 South Pacific Albacore Fishery Main fishing gear: longline fishing. Stock Assessment in 2012: Biologically there is no evidence of overfishing of the albacore stocks in relation to the maximum sustainable yield. Maximum Sustainable Yield= 99,000mt However longline fishing is a specific fishing method and targets mature albacore: hence decline of fishery profitability.

4 Catch by longliners represent 96% of the SP albacore fishery. Total est. catches in 2013 at 81,198mt, 4% less than of SP EEZs catches make up 57% of the total catches: High seas = 43% China (23,482mt) and Chinese Taipei (13,248mt) flag vessels recorded the highest catches of 54% combined.

5 Samoa Longline Fishery Est metric Total tonnes Catch (MT) 4, , , , , , , Tuna Longline total catches for was 1,812mt. Export of catches 1582mt ( ) ~ 5.6 million USD Samoa flag longlines vessels total estimateand albacore 6,000,000 5,000,000 Total 4,000,000 ALBACORE 3,000,000 2,000,000 1,000,000 Est Fishing Effort (Millions of hooks) Axis Title Est Catches Est Effort

6 China s SP Longline Chinese Flag Longliners Total Estimate Catches from Fleet Total Catch Number of Chinese Flag Longline Vessels in the SP (1988- ALBACORE Longliners from 2013) China started in the late 80 s and dominated in the early 2000 s. Total Estimate albacore catches by China s flag vessels for 2013: 24,164mt. Highest numbers of longline vessels

7 China s Influence.. Largest fishing fleet: more than 25% of total catches.. High percentages of catches on the High Seas and increasing. Flooding the markets.. Lack of operational data.

8 Samoa Fisheries Perspective Management: Sustainability of fish stocks & economic viability of the fishery: capping of efforts and catch efforts. Need catch limits for the High Seas. Tokelau Arrangement: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Tokelau, Niue, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, (Solomon Is) Illegal Unregulated Unreported Fishing: surveillance and monitoring: however limited personnel and resources.

9 Development: Maximum economic benefits: thriving domestic fishery (food security/livelihood), revenue (export, GDP and administrative costs), employment (fishermen, labour force). Genuine Partnership: Market investments, development of onshore facilities.

10 Final Observations. One of last healthy remaining fishery stocks in the World. Fishery worth more than a billion a year. Some of the SIDs it is 90% of their Annual Budget: Others the main source of food security. Samoa aims for a bigger share of this wealth. Most preferable fishing grounds are within SIDs zones:with limited resources and capacities to manage this fishery.

11 International Fisheries Management measures need to be unique to the situation of SIDs and not isolate/disadvantage them. China is needed for the effective management and sustainable development of the fishery: responsible fisher, true partner in a sustainable fishery.

12 Acknowledgements Graphs, tables and figures were provided by the Oceanic Fisheries Program at the SPC Noumea Tuna Fishery Yearbook 2013 : Samoa Annual Reports 2011/12, 2012/13 Thank you for your Attention.