Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

1. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Report to the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on South Africa’s Proposed Accession to Three International Fisheries Bodies 21 October 2014

2. Accession to the:Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)Commission for the Conservation of Southern Blue Fin Tuna (CCSBT) Food and Agricultural Organisation’s (FAO’s) Port State Measures Agreement BLUEFIN TUNA 2

3. Presentation Outline Introduction Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Commission for the Conservation of Southern Blue Fin Tuna (CCSBT) Food and Agricultural Organisation’s (FAO’s) Port State Measures Agreement Conclusion

4. INTRODUCTION The Marine Living Resources Act was promulgated in 1998 & addresses the transformation and management of South Africa’s fisheries within South Africa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). South Africa is a contracting party and member of several Regional Fisheries Organisations (RFMOs) whose broad objectives are the sustainable management of shared fish stocks in international waters. South Africa has a well-established fishery sector which is seen as an important means to address food security, job creation and economic growth. South Africa’s accession to the IOTC & CCSBT Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMO’s) & Port State Measures Agreement addresses some key governmental imperatives for fisheries and would allow South Africa to negotiate larger quotas that would have positive economic benefits for the sector.

5. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO THE IOTC The Agreement for the establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is an intergovernmental, Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) mandated to manage tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean. Its objective is to promote cooperation among its Members with a view to ensuring the conservation & optimum utilization of stocks & encouraging sustainable development of fisheries based on such stocks. South Africa’s longline fishing effort for tuna originally developed in the Atlantic in 1998, but has since 2002 expanded to include the Indian Ocean. Currently, most of the South African longline fishing effort is now focused in the Indian Ocean where catch rates are higher. As a Co-operating Non-Contracting (CNC) Party, South Africa is obligated to adhere to all management and conservation measures of the IOTC, including data reporting, as required by all Member Parties; apply for CNC status to be renewed each year (determined by member parties); As a CNC, South Africa is not allowed to table any proposals or vote on any conservation and management measures adopted by IOTC. These factors create large uncertainty in securing long-term access rights for our vessels to fish for tuna in the Indian Ocean.

6. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO IOTC (2) By acceding to the IOTC Agreement, Government would create a more secure environment for the development of the tuna longline fishery by creating greater access to fishing opportunities. This would promote the creation of new jobs and would contribute to improving the quality of existing employment in this sector. This will also provide incentives for foreign fishing vessels to reflag and encourage the activation of rights by non-active right holders. Full membership to the IOTC could increase the tuna fishery from a R150 million industry to a R600 million industry in foreign currency. Full membership of the IOTC would also allow South Africa to table its concerns and to influence the decisions taken at IOTC pertaining to the management of tuna and tuna-like resources in the Indian Ocean. The IOTC annual financial membership contribution for South Africa is estimated to be US$30-35 000,00 based on current catches. South Africa is already a long-standing and important member of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which plays a similar role to the IOTC but which manages the Atlantic Ocean tuna resources.

7. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO CCSBT The Commission for the Conservation for Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) is an intergovernmental organisation solely responsible for the management of southern bluefin tuna (SBT). SBT is a high value commodity species and is the most valuable fish species occurring in our EEZ . This species is fished by 9 fishing nations, namely Japan, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, New Zealand, Philippines, EU, and South Africa. (South Africa is one of only four countries that have southern bluefin occurring in its waters). South Africa is currently a Co-operating Non-Contracting party of CCSBT and as such does not have any voting power in adopting conservation and management measures or negotiating country allocations. Consequently, South Africa has only been allocated a small quota of 40 tons, which accounts for less than 0.5% of the global TAC for this developing tuna longline fishery. South Africa, by virtue of its geographic position, is the world’s most important port state for this species (up to 20% of the global SBT quota move through SA ports annually). Hence, South Africa has been recognised by Member Parties of CCSBT as an important role-player in the management of this resource within the Commission.

8. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO CCSBT (2) Acceding to CCSBT would greatly improve South Africa’s negotiation position for more equitable southern bluefin quotas as all management decisions, including country allocations, are based on 100% consensus by member parties. A larger SBT quota would assist in stabilising the tuna fisheries, create new jobs, improve the quality of jobs, will provide incentives for foreign vessels to reflag, and would increase foreign revenue. CCSBT has offered an initial increase in South Africa’s quota from the current 40 t to 80 t in 2013 and 150 t in 2014 subject to South Africa acceding to the Convention. Further, allocations will be subject to negotiations and the rebuilding success of the stock.

9. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO CCSBT (3) Full membership to the tuna RFMOs (incl. CCSBT) can make the difference between a R150 million industry or a R600 million industry in foreign currency. The CCSBT annual financial membership contribution for South Africa is estimated to be AU$72 235 based on an 80 t allocation for 2013, which is worth approximately R12 million in foreign exchange. South Africa is already a long-standing and important member of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which serves a similar role as CCSBT, but for the Atlantic Ocean tuna resources.

10. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO PORT STATE MEASURES Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing is a global threat to sustainable fisheries and to the management and conservation of fisheries resources and marine biodiversity. As a tool to combat IUU fishing, the importance of enhanced port state control has increasingly gained ground throughout the last decennium. The Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing was approved by the FAO Conference at its Thirty-sixth Session on 22 November 2009. The Agreement aims to prevent illegally caught fish from entering international markets through ports. Establishing a network of ports adopting port state measures is regarded as the most cost-effective means of combatting IUU fishing. To date there are 23 signatories to the FAO’s Port State Measures including Angola, Australia, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Union, France, Gabon, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Russian Federation, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Turkey, United States of America and Uruguay. Establishing a network of ports adopting port state measures is regarded as the most cost-effective means of combatting IUU fishing.

11. IMPORTANCE OF ACCEDING TO PORT STATE MEASURES (2) South Africa is considered to be the most import port state in the region with over 800 foreign fishing vessel visitations in some years, representing over 30 flag states. By acceding to the FAO’s Port State Measures (PSM) Agreement to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Agreement, South Africa will be part of an international and joint effort in combating IUU. In so doing, SA will protect its resources and markets by not allowing access for illegal fish products often threatening the livelihood of SA’s national fishing industry. South Africa by virtue of its engagement and obligations to RFMOs has already implemented many aspects of port state measures since 2007. South Africa is a long standing member of the FAO and therefore there are no financial implications in acceding to the FAO’s Port State Measures Agreement. It is an international agreement/ instrument to prevent, deter and eliminate, IUU fishing

12. CONCLUSION The tuna longline fishery has the potential to become the third most economically important fishery in South Africa after the hake and small pelagic fisheries. It also has the greatest potential to provide new jobs in the fishing sector in the short-term. The tuna longline fishery is one of the few fisheries in South Africa that has a realistic opportunity for growth in the short term, but it is largely dependent on government providing an enabling environment, inter alia, the accession to relevant conventions like IOTC and CCSBT. In as far as acceding to the FAO’s Port State Measures is concerned, South Africa is seen as an important and strategically placed role player in the global attempt to combat IUU fisheries as South Africa is recognised as a globally important port state, which is already implementing most aspects of the Port State Measures Agreement. It is recommended that approval be granted for South Africa to accede to the Agreement for the Establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC); Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) and the FAO’s Port State Measures (PSM) Agreement to Prevent, Deter & Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.

13. THANK YOU !!!