FAO, Fishing Operations and Technology Service (FIRO) Global Directions in Bycatch Management - Challenges for the Southeast Asia - Petri Suuronen FAO, Fishing Operations and Technology Service (FIRO) CTFF Bali, June 15-17 2010

Bycatch – What is it? Much confusion and misunderstanding: No single definition! Fish – Juveniles - Turtles – Seabirds - Marine mammals 2. Economic dimension: ‘Trash fish’ a major component of catch in many fisheries  increasingly used as animal feed Food supply, livelihood, employment, income 3. User conflicts: Bycatch is lost yield to somebody! Ethical/moral issues: Wasteful usage of natural resources. The question of why bycatch has local - national and global dimensions is because of the nature and characteristics of bycatch What is it Why is it a problem? How big a problem is it? What are the drivers behind it being a problem? Who is forcing the issue? Local conflicts – regional trade – environmental damage – climate change – food availability – International instruments What are the characteristics of the problem

Bycatch and discards quantities FAO 1994 “The Alverson Report” FAO 1998 “FAO SOFIA” FAO 2005 “The Kelleher Report” 27 mil. t Bycatch + Discards 20 mil. t Bycatch + Discards 7.3 mil. t Discards

Discarded global catch has reduced: More selective fishing! Improved management and enforcement actions! Increased utilization of ‘bycatch’ species. Decline of some fisheries having high bycatch rates.

Why worry? Because high levels of bycatch and discards still exist in many fisheries! Because many fisheries in high-biodiversity ecosystems produces large quantities of low value fish! ‘bycatch’, ‘trash fish’ include juveniles of ecologically important and economically valuable species Because bycatch may represent a significant unaccounted source of fishing mortality!

Bycatch – a broad problem In many fisheries the juvenile fish are increasingly targeted and landed! There is growing concern that excessive bycatch is: threatening the long-term sustainability of many fisheries, decreasing food security, and negatively affecting the livelihoods of millions of fishers and fishworkers that depend on fish resources. Bycatch may also has significant broader impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity.

Classical symptoms of fishery failures Lost yield due to overfishing and illegal fishing Poor economic performance Great government subsidies Increasing conflicts among user groups Lost yield due to bycatch and discarding Catches consisting increasingly of juveniles Fishing causing excessive pressure on ecosystem

“Fishing down the food chain” PAST PRESENT FUTURE? Source: Pauly et al. Science, 1998 8

Challenges in managing bycatch (I) Time series data on bycatch often not available - amount of bycatch often not known Overall impacts of bycatch poorly known on: Resources - ecosystems Livelihoods - Income Nutrition - Consumption Conflicts Where, when and why is ‘bycatch’ a problem? What is the acceptable level of bycatch?

Challenges in managing bycatch (II) Major gaps in the current regimes to manage bycatch. Adoption of mitigation measures heavily constrained by: Political will Economic incentives Poor awareness Financial and human resources What are the priority issues that should be addressed in various fisheries?

International Guidelines on Bycatch Management and Reduction of Discards 1 The Guidelines will provide: Guidance on how bycatch can be integrated in resource management The framework for actions at national and regional level 1 The 28th session of COFI (2009) agreed FAO to develop these Guidelines through Expert Consultation and Technical Consultation

Expert Consultation: ‘Bycatch’ is the catch that a fisher did not intend to catch did not want to catch did not choose to use, or which should not be caught for whatever reason

Main elements of International Guidelines Governance and institutional frameworks Bycatch management plans Data collection, reporting and assessment; Monitoring control and surveillance (MCS) Research and development on bycatch mitigation and discard reduction technologies  identification of best practices Awareness, communication and capacity building Special requirements of developing States

Tools to manage bycatch and discards Capacity and effort controls Measures relating to fishing gear design and their use size and type of mesh, hook; BRDs, TEDs, SMPs, etc. technologies to reduce encounters and to increase survival probability alternative fishing gears and practices Spatial and temporal closures closed areas and seasons, MPAs, real-time closures, fishing gear bans, etc. Limits on bycatch bycatch quotas, no-discard regimes, etc Economic incentives – facilitation of the uptake market-based tools (increasingly important)

Performance of measures - case specific A few universal solutions exist real drivers have to be identified fisheries based solutions are needed. The interests and possibilities of different fleets vary considerably. Adoption of selective techniques may mean loss of income (in the short term at least). Incentives are needed to encourage fishers uptake of measures! what are the benefits and who will get them? Costs associated with implementation and enforcement vary considerably.

Potential benefits to reduce bycatch improved productive potential of fish stocks improved yields in the future larger size of fish, better price positive public attitude (image) better business opportunities reduction of operational costs reduced fuel cost reduced sorting time of catch improved catch quality

Special concerns related to SE Asia Ambitious objectives to address Widespread Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing (IUU) Highly migratory species (= management scenarios extend beyond the area) Endangered marine species A large area to cover Conservation measures are vulnerable to ‘outside forces’ Measures are undermined by mobile fishing capacity and open access How to ensure stakeholder involvement? Balance between environmental well-being & human well-being? Rights & equity & food security

No clear strategy on how to Combating IUU IUU fishing often undertaken by countries outside of the region Managing excessive fishing capacity (a driver of IUU) Monitoring control and surveillance (MCS) Vessel monitoring systems (VMS) Developing fishing vessel registers Port State Measures (to close ports and markets to IUU fish) Use market measures, certification schemes and ecolabelling substantial part of markets lie outside of the region Regional agreements to address the issues Broad regional level action is required to “cement” together the national activities Linkages to Regional Fisheries Management Organizations

Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Fisheries do not exist in isolation - fish stocks are elements of an ecosystem Increasing awareness of the importance of various interactions in marine ecosystems Recognition of a wide range of societal interests in marine ecosystems Poor performance of current management practices

Strong co-operation needed We are all working towards the same goal There are no easy solutions Collaboration with all partners is needed Engagement of private sector to participate in developing and adopting best practices is crucial

Thank you! Total budget USD 10, 200 000, 3,400,000 from GEF. 2 to 1 co-financing confirmed. Duration 4 years. Work closely with SEAFDEC. 21