89 



quotas for that stock based on the average exports received during the time period 

 referenced in the management recommendation. 



5) In those cases where ICCAT or a similar international organization has rec- 

 ommended supplementary non-quota management recommendations (i.e. minimum 

 sizes), the Secretary shall institute reporting requirements for imported production 

 that will document compliance with the management recommendations as a condi- 

 tion for importation. 



Rationale: The proposed amendment strengthens the existing language in the 

 ATCA with respect to Secretarial authority to support and enhance international 

 management of shared highly migratory species resources. The amendments require 

 that the Secretary establish reporting and compliance requirements for internation- 

 ally managed stocks. Capping or restricting imports from these stocks to levels con- 

 sistent with international management recommendations wUl encourage compliance 

 and prevent the U.S. maricet from providing an incentive for competing inter- 

 national fleets to expand their catch and effort while U.S. fleets are restricted. Un- 

 limited access to the U.S. market has encouraged fleet expansion in the Caribbean 

 and Latin America where ICCAT management recommendations are not enforced. 

 Canadian swordfish landings and exports have increased in excess of 200 percent 

 since 1989-1991, while U.S. landings nave been reduced by 37 percent. 



SUMMARY OF ICCAT NORTH ATLANTIC SWORDFISH STOCK RECOVERY PROGRAM AND THE 



EXPANSION OF CANADA'S HARVEST 



1990 ICCAT Recommendations for North Atlantic Swordfish basically rec- 

 ommended: 



• Major Harvesters (Spain &. US): reduce harvest on swordfish above 25 kilogram 

 by 15 percent of 1988 harvest level 



• Minor Harvesters (including Canada): keep annual catches within levels that 

 are reasonable and abide by minimum size measures. Floor discussions defined this 

 as within 45 percent increase of 1988 level but this was not reflected in the final 

 recommendation. 



• All Atlantic Swordfish Harvesters: observe a 25 kilogram minimum size with 

 an allowable trip tolerance of 15 percent by total number of swordfish aboard the 

 vessel. 



• Bycatch Nations (Japan): keep incidental catch to within 10 percent 



The 1992 ICCAT (SCRS) North Atlantic Swordfish Stock Assessment indicated 

 that the stock was estimated to be 16 percent below the optimurnpopulation size 

 but due to reductions in harvests was now rebuilding by 500-600 MT per year. This 

 scientific information prompted the necessity for ICCAT's 1992 Swordfish Rec- 

 ommendation. 



1992 ICCAT Recommendations for Atlantic Swordfish basically recommended: 



• That the Commission advise all nations involved in fisheries which harvest 

 swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean to make every effort to maintain their catch levels 

 or fishing capacity for the immediate future (1993-94) at recent levels; 



Since this time, the US has reduced its harvest of North Atlantic Swordfish by 

 37 percent from the 1988 harvest level. Spain has reduced its harvest of North At- 

 lantic Swordfish by 41 f)ercent from the 1988 harvest level. Japan & Taiwan have 

 kept their incidental harvest overall to within By-catch limits. 



Canada harvested 898 MT of North Atlantic Swordfish in 1988; 1,247 MT in 1989; 

 911 MT in 1990; 1,026 MT in 1991; 1,547 MT in 1992; and preliminary investigation 

 information by the NMFS/HMS Division has Canada's 1993 US Imports at 2,321.86 

 MT for 1993. 



The US fishing industry, both recreational and commercial, and Conservation and 

 Environmental Groups associated with Highly Migratory Species Fisheries have 

 universally raised this issue and are calling upon the US (jovemment to take action 

 in the form of "Trade Restrictions" as outlined in the Atlantic Tunas Convention 

 Act; Subpart D. The urgency of this issue stems from the desire to not allow a sec- 

 ond season of "Overfishing" by Canada to undermine the ICCAT Swordfish Recovery 

 Program and to strengthen ICCAT by setting a constructive precedent for the man- 

 agement of these internationally-shared resources. 



The Canadian industry is standing on an arbitrarily set 2(X)0 MT Quota (which 

 they did not adhere to in 1993) while attempting to divert attention by pointing to 

 the US discard of undersized swordfish. Canadian Officials are using historic sword- 

 fish participation, the present status of the Groundfish fishery and scientific advise 

 stating it is "reasonable" for Canada to have a 2000 MT quota due to the area cov- 

 ered by Canadian jurisdiction, as arguments to justify their actions. 



Bilateral discussions between US/Canada Fishery Managers have found common 

 ground to begin addressing other minor harvesting nation s expansion issues; how- 



