73 



Coalition of United States 

 Bluefin Tuna User Groups 



As a direct result of increasing regulatory restriction, 

 heightened environmental group involvement, and deepening 

 industry frustration, representatives of U.S. Atlantic bluefin 

 tuna user groups met in New York City to discuss the issues and 

 seek common ground. A series of resolutions were passed 

 unanimbusly and all groups agreed to bring the discussion points 

 to their respective Executive Boards for formal consideration and 

 action. 



1. Highly migratory species require international cooperation 

 for conservation and management and the Coalition supports 

 U.S. participation inlCCAT through the U.S. ICCAT 

 Commissioners and U.S. Delegation. 



2. The Coalition does not support, at this time, further 

 reductions in the U.S. bluefin quota or a CITES* listing. 

 The U.S. fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna has been under 

 strict conservation regulations since 1982. This has 

 resulted in significant quota reductions on all U.S. user 

 groups while, at the same time, east Atlantic and 

 Mediterranean nations have substantially increased their 

 catch over the past decade. 



3. The Coalition has concerns over the quality of data on which 

 NMFS is basing their management decisions. The 1991 finding 

 of ICCAT scientists found below represents the best 

 scientific information available on the status of bluefin. 



*Th« 1991 as(«iu«n; tftouc clnrly that iht ICCAT runagMwnt utrtttgy has been ef benefit tc the 

 stock, mat there are encouraging signs that the nuntoiri of fish up to age 9 are now stable snct that 

 there it <o« evidence of a limitea increa«e in nujcers. The stock is not endangered, ae the 

 process of xtabi I i lit i on shows. The stock is expected to continue to respond, even under recent 

 catch levels, and the action* being taken by ICCAT ncnber countries for 1992 and the future will 

 speed and Increase the probability of the 



The process towards bluefin resource conservation identified 

 by the latest assessment has been achieved strictly at the 

 expense of fishermen from the United States, Canada, and 

 Japan fishing in the western Atlantic fishing grounds. The 

 United States fishery accounts for a very small portion 

 (less than 6%) of the total catch of Atlantic bluefin. 



The Coalition believes that U.S. policy for the November 

 1993 ICCAT meeting should be to achieve conservation 



CAACC and JCAA both abstained on the CITES aspect of Resolution 

 2. 



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