Image: JOFA / FIS

Japan Fisheries Association Opposition to banning fishing on the high seas

Supports ICFA's opposition statement RFMO-led fisheries management

Photo: Jofa

The Japan Fisheries Association (Chairman Toshiro Shirasu) has made it clear that it fully supports ICFA's (International Federation of Fisheries Association) statements against the petition to ban fishing on the high seas.

At a press conference on the 20th, Kazuhiko Utsumi, managing director of Omizu, stated that "the high seas fishing industry should not be banned. We should use the resources of the target areas after properly managing them," he said.

University of British Columbia (Canada) scholars Rashid Sumaila and Daniel Boley signed a petition on February 17 to ban all commercial fishing in the high seas and declare it a protected area of the United Nations. started. In response, ICFA issued a statement of opposition on the same day. He argued that fisheries management measures should be improved and expanded to the high seas, and fisheries should be controlled under the initiative of RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organizations), which are being implemented in the world of fisheries.

Data credibility indication

Managing Director Utsumi also mentioned the credibility of the scholar's claim that "the high seas fisheries are dependent on subsidies." "I can't imagine a large portion of the fisheries budget (non-public portion) going to subsidize high seas fisheries," he said.

Academics state that Japan spends approximately 84.9 billion yen (2014 base) as subsidies for high seas fisheries. In 2014, Japan's fisheries-related budget was 109.39 billion yen for the non-public sector.

Mitsunori Yoshida, chairman of the Japan Troll Bottomfish Association, also attended the press conference. "If false information spreads widely, it will be difficult to stop it," he said. He said, "I have to make a firm counterargument like this press conference."

Source: Suisantimes (Traslated from the original in Japanese)

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