10 



also protect the Atlantic bluefin when they migrate through the 

 known spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico. 



These expensive conservation sacrifices by U.S. fishermen are in 

 stark contrast to the continuing situation on the eastern Atlantic 

 and Mediterranean bluefin fishing grounds. 



Since 1981 the reported catches of bluefin from the eastern At- 

 lantic and Mediterranean fishing grounds have increased by more 

 than 42 percent. ICCAT scientists continue to point out that 

 catches from these grounds are known to be under reported and 

 some fishing countries do not provide any statistics on bluefin 

 catches. 



Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fishing countries have fla- 

 grantly violated the 1975 ICCAT agreement to cap fishing mortali- 

 ty to recent levels with these increases in catch and effort. The 

 1992 ICCAT Infractions Committee report provides ample evidence 

 that eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean fishing countries do not 

 abide by the 1975 Atlantic-wide minimum size of 14 pounds. 



Scientists now know that at least 3 million bluefin tuna under 

 the minimum size are captured to support domestic cannery mar- 

 kets. You may note that western fisheries for bluefin have now 

 been reduced by national regulations to catching only about 20,000 

 fish total. 



Finally, eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean countries continue 

 to target spawning bluefin for the roe to support a luxury product 

 market. This practice is reprehensible and an insult to western At- 

 lantic fishermen, given the extent of the conservation program 

 here. 



Mr. Chairman, it is our view that the totally unregulated and 

 booming bluefin fisheries of the east can only be occurring and be 

 sustained as a result of the dramatic sacrifices of fishermen in the 

 western Atlantic fishing grounds. 



With the stark contrast of the western fisheries under exception- 

 ally restricted management and the eastern fisheries yet to have 

 basic conservation measures, such as minimum size and quotas, 

 fishermen find the Miami position calling for another 50 percent 

 reduction on our quota for the next 10 years to be incomprehensi- 

 ble. 



Under the Miami plan, the U.S. share of the total Atlantic catch 

 will be reduced immediately to less than 1.5 percent and this figure 

 will shrink as the eastern fisheries continue to prosper at our ex- 

 pense, this despite the known fact that the line separating the 

 stocks is arbitrary. 



Recent ICCAT information now tells us that Japanese fishermen 

 catch from about 800 to nearly 1,400 tons of bluefin in an area ap- 

 proximately 150 miles east of the controversial line. These fish ob- 

 viously belong to any western stock, and in the light of these 

 recent catches, the arbitrary line now looks downright silly. 



Under the Miami plan, our fishery will be devastated but it is 

 open fishing on bluefin as soon as they swim across this line. 



At the most recent U.S. ICCAT advisory Committee on October 

 14th and 15th, a straw poll was taken and the results demonstrate 

 little support for current Miami positions. 18 of 20 U.S. ICCAT ad- 

 visors believe that the primary focus of U.S. policy needs to be the 

 establishment of management measures on the eastern and Medi- 



