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
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.
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.
Catch by longliners represent 96% of the SP albacore fishery. Total est. catches in 2013 at 81,198mt, 4% less than of 2012. 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.
Samoa Longline Fishery Est metric Total tonnes Catch (MT) 4,000 8000 3,500 7000 3,000 6000 2,500 5000 2,000 4000 1,500 3000 1,000 2000 1000 500 Tuna Longline total catches for 2012-13 was 1,812mt. Export of catches 1582mt (1993-2013) ~ 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) 0- - 1993 1994 2009 1995 1996 1997 1998 2010 1999 2000 20012011 2002 2003 2004 2005 2012 2006 2007 2008 2009 2013 2010 2011 2012 2013 Axis Title Est Catches Est Effort
60000 50000 500 40000 450 30000 400 350 20000 300 250 10000 200 150 0 100 50 0 China s SP Longline Chinese Flag Longliners Total Estimate Catches from 1988-2013 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. 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.