Study On The Issue Of International Fisheries Governance

The Western and Central Pacific Ocean is the highest tuna production area in the world where is the most concentrated fishing grounds for the tuna fleet of China, accounting for near 90 percent of total number of Chinese tuna longliners in 2014(489), and 100% of total number of tuna purse seiners(29). The members of WCPFC include both a number of the biggest economies and the smallest economies in the world, and these members have great differences in terms of fisheries governance capacity. WCPFC is an updated RFMO which was established only for 11 years and duplicated many Provisions from the 1995 Fish Stock Agreement. Therefore, to study the results of its governing measures has of significance in review of international fisheries governance and the governing practice that China participated.This dissertation researched and analysed the basic theory and methods regarding fisheries governance, put forward that the methods used in regional fisheries governance were based on the theory of fisheries resources economy, theory of sustainable development and theory of responsible fisheries, reviewed the situation of international fisheries governance and to ensure the long term conservation and sustainable utilization of managed fish stocks through effective management in recent decades, including the adoption of eco-system based management. The paper studied in details the situation of tuna resources, the scale of fleet change and the current situation of fisheries governance in WCPO, the problems in WCPO fisheries, the innovated measures in WCPFC fisheries governance, and current state of China’s WCPO fisheries as well as the governance practice that China conducted.The main results can be summarized as follows:(1)The key element for fisheries management is the establishment of rational regulations, and with this basis, success or failure of fisheries management relies on establishment and design of enforcement mechanism. Regional fisheries management mechanism is the main way for world’s fisheries resources management on the high seas at the present and in the future. Regional fisheries governance as represented by regional fisheries management organizations achieved significant progress in recent decade. The implementation of MCS mechanism is the key for management. In the practice in combating IUU fishing, the effectiveness of monitoring can be much enhanced only through the cooperative inspection by market states and port states. Some RFMOs have introduced legitimate source certificate mechanism for fish and fishery products that would enter into international trade, and achieved significant results. In the view of long term sustainability of fishery resources, it should extend the current scope of certificate mechanism, to cover all major fish species. Regional fishenies management mechanism adopted eco-system based fishery management, by doing so it reduced the international pressure on capture fisheries regarding biodiversity protection.(2)Being a 11-year-old RFMO, WCPFC tried its best to achieve the objectives that stated in the Convention of WCPFC by adoption of sustainable development concept and adopted eco-system based fishery management. At the present, regarding to the mechanism design itself, WCPFC basically has all means and ways for the international fisheries governance, except the market related trade measures. Along with the development of fishing technology, the total tuna catch reached more than 2.62 million metric tons in WCPFC area in 2013, that would trigger the powerful pressure on further reduction of fishing capacity. Due to the main operatione area of purse seiners and long liners are clearly different from each other in terms of nature of the areas, the game between the two fisheries will continue to trigger the compatability problem of conservation and management measures for the areas inside and outside national jurisdiction. After 11 years governance, the resources of bigeye tuna are on the way of declining, the fishing capacity in the area is increasing continuously, that reflected the exist of serious defects in fisheries governance in the region, and it needs to have to take urgent governance measures.(3) Due to “the Vessel Day Scheme”(VDS) used by the Parties of Naruu Agreement(PNA) is an input control mechanism, not an output system and has no means to reduce the bigeye tuna bycatch in purse seiners fisheries. WCPFC adopted 2013-01 measure in 2013, and recognized the base year of fishing efforts for purse seiners fisheries was 2010 level, that increased by 30% of purse seiners fishing capacity from former base year of 2001-2004 average level or 2004 level. Such decision can not help to reduce the fishing mortality of bigeye tuna and was not good for conservation of resources. WCPFC’s 2013-01 and 2014-01 conservation and management measures only set limits of the number of fishing vessels targeting tropical tunas of non-SIDS members, and did not limit the number of similar fishing vessels of SIDS members, therefore, the fishing capacity for tropical tunas in the region will increase in very near future. The Commssion has discussed the governance methods for south pacific albacore fisheries for many years. However, due to lack of scientific evidence, WCPFC has no compatible conservation and management measure on the stock through its entire range of distribution. SIDS of Tokelau Arrangement have strong aspiration to develop her own south pacific albacore fisheries, the cooperation between members of Commssion with vessel chartering arrangement will be good for joint development of fisheries economies and to ensure the long term sustainability of the resources. WCPFC should consider creating the market related measures, so that to trace the international trade for the species under management of the Convention. In terms of compating IUU fishing, members of WCPFC should complete internal coordination as soon as possible, so that to support WCPFC to take drastic measures of port states inspection in WCPO. Bigger economies of the members of WCPFC should consider using electrical log book for the tuna long-line fishing vessels that operate on the high seas.(4)WCPFC explored to govern fisheries problem with positive and meaningful manner, and that differs from other RFMOs. The Commission’s VMS is the first one to carry on the third party to have real time monitor the position of fishing vesels operated on the high seas, the system enhanced the transparency of fishing operation on the high seas. The RFMO established joint and several obligations for the owner that has fishing vessels be listed as IUU fishing vessels, such measure effectively shocked the owners of IUU fishing vessels. The Commission established cooperative non-member mechanism, toghther with other supporting MCS measures, effectively ensured the revelant non-member to comply with the applicable conservation and management measures as a whole.The creation and implementation of fishing vessel charter arrangement mechanism partly met the aspiration of SIDS in the Pacific to develop her own tuna fisheries, and the mechanism strengthened the fishery cooperation among members of Commission. The mechanism of observer is one of the important means to monitor fishing vessel operational activities in model fisherie management. In terms of operational data collection, role played by the observers on board of fishing vessels can hardly be replaced, and the mechanism provided necessary information and basis for eco-system based fisheries management. Capture fishery is the only industry that commercially utilized the wildlife in the world at the present, and such utilization has triggered the relevant environmental concerns. Bycatch species management based on concept of ecosystem approach in fisheries management is useful attempt to solve such concerns。The practice of the Commission in bycatch spesies management greatly assisted the development of tuna fisheries in a sustainable way in WCPO.(5) China has sound and solid legal basis and completed institutional framework in terms of tuna fisheries governance in WCPO, although financial support and input on the governance is still insufficient. The practice process that China participated in tuna fisheris governance in WCPO was also the process of creation, development and practice of the advanced concept, and China dealt with the revelant problems in the fisheries governance with responsible manner, and promoted to carry out the principle of equity, open and transparency. The fishing operation of Chinese fleet targeting bigeye tuna operated smoothly based on the highest historical catch from 2005 to 2013; the number of purse seniners increased from zero to current 29; the long line fishing vessels fish for south pacific albacore is the biggest fleet in the region, such achievements obtained should give the credit to the Chinese government that attached importance to the right of development in WCPO, devoted herself to participate in the formulation of international rule, maintained the “speaking right” from the beginning to the end and had close cooperative relationship with relevant countries in fisheries field. China effectively implemented the measures regarding shark conservation, sea turtles and sea birds bycatch mitigation, in accordance with conservation and management measures adopted by the Commission. It is suggested that the fisheies authority and industry should study and promote to change the cooperative ways with SIDS in the Pacific, enhance the contractual capability in terms of observer coverage and providing operarional data, so that to provide necessary conditions and environment for consolidation of China’s fisheries scale and interest in WCPO.Based on the above results, the writer made his conclusion in the last section of the paper, included the positive participation of international fisheries governance is the key for China to protect her right of developmentt in WCPO; stick to the concept of sustainable development and conduct international fisheries governance in a responsible manner were the principle that China shall insist on while participating the international fisheries governance; and to enhancethe capapcity in participation of international fisheries governance, so that to upgrade the results of fisheries governance. Furthermore, in order to continue protect the right and interest of China in WCPO, and to promote sustainable and responsible fisheries, it is suggested in the outlook part the followings: the Commission rules should be applied well and have friendly cooperation between China and Pacific SIDS; to enhance the capacity of China to balance the fisheries relationship with revelant countries; to increase the science and technology input so that to further upgrade the image of China in terms of responsibility; to complete the fisheries monitor and control of China’s ports as well as the Chinese tuna industry in WCPO should play a role while cooperate with Pacific SIDS in bulid of the “Silk Road Economic Belt and 21 st Century Maritime Silk Road”.