European ParliamentCommittee on Fisheries

Brussels, Wednesday 16th of March 2011, 9.00 – 12.30

Shortcomings in the Mediterranean BlueFin Tuna Fishing & Ranching Industry

Roberto Mielgo BregazziCEO: Advanced Tuna Ranching Technologies, sl.

• Amid increasing international pressure on ICCAT for failing managing the East Atlantic bluefin tuna, Japan presents a proposal for a bluefin tuna catch document system “for the purpose of identifying the origin of any bluefin tuna in order to support the implementation of conservation and management measures”

• The unique BCD scheme was adopted to have effective control of the catches of bluefin tuna to ensure compliance with management rules, by tracking the product from the point of capture “throughout the whole operation to its final market”

• Japan’s real declared purpose was to avoid a potential CITES App. II listing by establishing an analogous trade tracking system under the ICCAT aegis

• The BCD scheme was born as an ad hoc measure for the Atlantic bluefin fishery only (it being applied “on an exceptional basis”)

ICCAT 2007 – Japan creates the BCD

Main aspects of BCD scheme• The BCD scheme covers both domestic and international trade, including re-exports, and envisages numbered documents for every tuna consignment with sections covering catch, live fish trade, transfers, transhipments, farming, harvesting and trade (first sale).

• BCDs are subject to validation by producer State authorities (whether flag State, exporter State or farm State) and verification by import authorities: validation is conditional to compliance with ICCAT rules for fishing and farming; in case of inconsistencies raised by the verification process any trade, including importation, has to be suspended.

• BCDs should be transmitted to ICCAT Secretariat and to the authorities of the farm state or the importing state within 5 days of validation, and made available to all ICCAT CPs in a password-protected website.

• Implementation difficulties arising from the complexity of the fishing/farming system has obliged to fully amend the BCD ICCAT Recommendation in 2008 and 2009.The BCD scheme currently covers 2008, 2009 and 2010 fishing seasons.

A growing trend of catch under-reporting since the inception of the BCD scheme as of 2008

ICCAT officially approved BFT fattening and growth rates that defy science ... as well as verifiable industry growth rates results

Number of Tuna Ranches Number of Tuna Rancheswith cases of unreported with cases of unreportedof live-BFT transfers harvested BFTs

2008 7 26

2009 8 25

2010 0 18

Unreported live-BFT catches transferred into Tuna Ranches detected at harvest via BCD...

Three 2008-2010 Cases of BFT Catch Under-reporting / Launderingin EU Member States

Example N°: 1. EU Member State A. The case of an important mismatch between 2008 National BCD Live-BFT Transfer to Ranch figures and those recorded with the National Fisheries Authorities

Example N°: 2. EU Member State B. The case of an important mismatch between 2009 National BCD BFT Catch figures and those recorded with the National Fisheries Authorities

Example N°: 3. EU Member State C. The case of a Tuna Trap illegally fattening BFT without proper authorisation

A preliminary BFT Stock overview through 2002 to 2010 Fresh BFT Japanese Auction Markets Reports

Percentage of MED+NEA Caught (Wild & Ranched) BlueFin Tunas (120 Kgs+ Adult Viable Spawners) Sold Fresh at

Japanese Fish Auction Markets