Philippine fishing companies included in Greenpeace shame list of pirate vessels

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing–often
referred to as, “pirate fishing”–has become a global scourge.
 Pirate fishing robs coastal communities of their livelihoods and
sustenance.  It leaves the marine environment bruised and battered,
undermining food security and attempts at sustainable management.
Globally US $9 billion a year is lost to pirate fishing.

Philippine-flagged tuna fishing and fish carrier vessels found
pirate fishing by Greenpeace in the international waters of the
Pacific earlier this year are included in the list (2). The vessels
are owned by TSP Marine industries. Also the Philippine company
Frabelle Fishing Corporation is also listed.

The global environmental organization launched its “IUU
blacklist” as the 4th session of the Technical Compliance Committee
(TCC4) meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries
Commission (WCPC) meets in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
to discuss increased regulation of tuna fishing in the Pacific
where pirate fishing of the regional tuna stocks is rife.

“Transfer of fishing catches at sea should be banned and marine
reserves created in international waters which are bound by Pacific
Island countries, as off limits to all fishing.  This would close
off a safe escape route currently open to pirates illegally fishing
adjacent to national waters,” said Lagi Toribau of Greenpeace
Australia Pacific attending the meeting.

Mr Toribau said this would only be achieved if TCC4 reaches
strong recommendations for bold, targeted and effective
conservation and management measures. Greenpeace is calling on the
Philippine government to support strong measures to combat pirate
fishing in the meeting.

“Greenpeace is urging all retailers and seafood traders to
ensure they do not purchase pirate-caught fish and, as a first
step, to ensure that they do not trade with companies listed as
operators of pirate vessels” said Sari Tolvanen of Greenpeace
International. “Unless the Philippine government ensures its
nationals are not engaged in pirate fishing there could be
consequences to the reputation of Philippine caught and processed
seafood products. The government needs to secure the reputation of
Phillippine tuna and the livelihoods and economy that depend on
it,” continued Tolvanen.

“Each year numerous vessels are observed and recorded as
engaging in pirate fishing across every ocean and sea. But the lack
of global political will and scarce resources for enforcement in
many coastal states means that most of the vessels and the
companies behind them just carry on fishing. It isn’t really
possible to discourage pirates by asking them politely to please
move along. There have to be clear and strict rules in place that
prevent pirate fishing in the first place–and heavy sanctions for
those who are caught,” said Tolvanen.

The new Greenpeace database supplements the IUU database
launched in 2007, which contained only those pirate fishing vessels
officially blacklisted by regional fisheries management
organizations and governments.

Greenpeace advocates the creation of an effectively enforced
network of marine reserves, protecting 40% of the world’s
oceans–with regulated, sustainable fishing in other areas–as the
long-term solution to overfishing and the recovery of marine life
in our overexploited oceans.