Living Resources in the HighSeas

Nobuyuki YAGI, Ph.D. Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences

The University of Tokyo

Address: 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan

Email: yagi@fs.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

1

Highly migratory species(as listed in Annex 1 of UNCLOS)

Tuna and

tuna-like species

Oceanic sharks

Pomfrets

Sauries

Dolphinfish

Source: FAO 2

Trends and figures on tuna fisheries

Source: FAOAtlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnusthynnus) 3

Annual nominal catches (thousand tons) ofselected tuna, World Oceans Source: FAO 2005

4

Exploitation status of highly migratorytuna and tuna-like species (FAO 2006)

Underexploited: none

Moderately exploited: 21%

Fully exploited: 50%

Overexploited: 21%

Depleted: 8%

24Stocks

The state of exploitation status on other 17stocks of tuna and tuna-like species is not known.

5

Exploitation status of world fish stocks(FAO 2009)

Underexploited: 2%

Moderately exploited: 18%

Fully exploited: 52%

Overexploited: 19%

Depleted: 8%

Recovering: 1%

6

Problems of the IUU (Illegal,Unreported, and Unregulated) Fishing

20% of the tuna large scale long-linevessels are flag of convenience vessels(Hanafusa and Yagi, 2004).

Concerns on IUU fishing also exist ontooth-fish fisheries.

These free-riders must pay the cost ofresource conservation (otherwise regularvessels cannot survive in internationalcompetition on cost of fishing).

7

Troubles about deep-water SpeciesDepth Zones of the Oceans (source: FAO 2005)

8

Patagonian toothfish(Dissostichus eleginoides)

Source: FAO 2006

9

Catches of toothfish (Antarctic andPatagonian) as reported to FAO

Source: FAO 2006

10

Orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus)

Source: FAO 2006

11

Catches of orange roughyas reported to FAO Source: FAO 2006

12

Percentage of the world's top oceanic-epipelagicand deep-water fishery resources in various phasesof fishery development, 1950 – 2004

Source: FAO 200613

Multiple causes of the problems for thehigh-seas fisheries

Difficultiesin MCS

scientific

Export orientedshort-term

Overcapacity

Unfair cost sharingfor conservation

IUU

profit takers

data

Lackof

14

MPAs (marine protectedareas) are sometimesproposed …

Resolution adopted by the UN GeneralAssembly (14 March 2008)“A/RES/62/215. Oceans and the law of the sea”

Reaffirms the need for States to continuetheir efforts to develop and facilitate the useof diverse approaches and tools forconserving and managing vulnerable marineecosystems, including the possibleestablishment of marine protected areas,consistent with international law and basedon the best scientific information available,and the development of representativenetworks of any such marine protected areasby 2012;

15

Resolution adopted by the UN GeneralAssembly (28 February 2008)A/RES/62/177. Sustainable fisheries

Para 102. Encourages accelerated progress toestablish criteria on the objectives andmanagement of marine protected areas forfisheries purposes, and in this regard welcomesthe proposed work of the Food and AgricultureOrganization of the United Nations to developtechnical guidelines in accordance with theConvention and the Code on the design,implementation and testing of marine protectedareas for such purposes, and urges coordinationand cooperation among all relevant internationalorganizations and bodies

16

Backgrounds of Japan’sfisheries

70% of Japan’s land is mountain, and fishingprovides important source of human diet forhundreds of years.

Traditional right-based coastal fisherymanagements are in place. (long-termincentives)

Legally binding fishery regulations areimposed, and additional local voluntarymeasures are introduced by the agreementsof local fishers. (easier monitoring andcontrol activities) 17

18

Example of no-take zoneYaeyama Islands

Okinawasince 1998

In Hokkaido

19

↑Salmon/trout

Squid→

↑ Kelp(Konbu)

↑ Scalops

22

Voluntary Kelp (Konbu) protection areasare established close to the shore

The number of Japanesecoastal no-take zone

There is no official statics on the numberof coastal no-take zones.

One database owned by “Japan FisheriesResource Conservation Association” listsapproximately 280 no-take zone incoastal areas in Japan.

In addition to the no-take zones, variousvoluntary activities are ongoing.

23

An activity for restoration of Amamo (eelgrass)meadows in the Tokyo Bay (Source; Amamo Revival

Collaboration in Kanazawa-Hakkei, Tokyo Bay Area )

24

Amamo restorations (Source; Amamo Revival

Collaboration in Kanazawa-Hakkei, Tokyo Bay Area )

25

Underwater picture of Amamo (Source; Amamo

Revival Collaboration in Kanazawa-Hakkei, Tokyo Bay Area)26

Beach clean-up activities are regularlyconducted to conserve spawning beachesfor sea turtles in Okinawa (Zamami)

27

Underwater picture by Yukiko Takada

28

208

125

0

50

100

150

200

250

1978 2007

Japan's coastal sea grass areas (40% reductionin 30 years)

Source: Fisheries Agency of Japan

Are

a(x

1000

ha)

Year

825

494

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1945 1998Year

Are

a(x

10

00

ha)

Year

Japan's coastal estuary and tidal zones (40% reduction in 50 years)Source: Fisheries Agency of Japan

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Mil

lio

nm

etr

icto

ns

The amount of Japan's fishery productionSource: Government fishery and aquaculture production statistics

Far-seas fishery

Off-shore fishery

Coastal fishery

Aquaculture (sea)

Inland fishery

Year

29

65

92

69

178

5571

39

251

222

204

91

194 155

181

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Meat

Sea Food

Per-capita per day consumption ofsea food and other meats in 2003(FAO Food Balance Sheets)

gra

m/d

ay/p

ers

on

Current Japanese ManagementStructure on Marine Protected Areas

30

Ministry ofEnvironment

National ParksAct:

Establishmentof national

parks such asShiretoko

NatureConservation

Law :

Establishment ofNature

ConservationAreas such asSakiyama in

Okinawa

Headquarter forOcean Policy;the Cabinet

Basic Plan onOcean Policy:

Governmentshould clarify

how toestablish MPAs

in Japan）

FisheriesAgency

Fisheries ResourceProtection Law:Establishment ofprotected waters

Voluntary measures bycoastal residents andfishers including the

establishment of protectedareas and arearehabilitations

The Fisheries Law:

Establishment of no-takezones and close seasons

These practices in Japan may not becompatible to MPAs in other countries.

IUCN’s definition of MPA:

“Any area of intertidal or subtidal terrain,together with its overlaying waters, andassociated flora, fauna, historical andcultural features, which has been reservedby law or other effective means to protectpart or all of the enclosedenvironment.”(IUCN, Resolution 17.38 of theIUCN General Assembly, 1988, reaffirmed inResolution 19.46, 1994)

31

For example, in the case of theUnited States:

The Presidentestablished thePacific RemoteIslands, MarianasTrench, Rose AtollMarine NationalMonument, onJanuary 6, 2009.

32

33Source: IUCN (2008) Establishing Marine Protected Area Networks – Making it happen.

USA Japan

Reserved bylaw or not?

Yes No (partly yes)

Institutionalcharacteristics

Top-down Bottom-up

Conservationstyle

No touch Positive interaction

Stakeholderinvolvement

Unknown Intensive

Area scale Large coverage Small area34

Comparison between Japanand USA (Marine national monument)

Conclusions

High seas fisheries stocks are in trouble.

Creating MPA is not a magic wand. Commandand control measures always face difficultieson monitoring, control and surveillance.

Combination of various measures, includingRFMO efforts including catch/trade controland port-state measures (legal tools),consumer involvements through eco-labeling(economic measures), and right-basedfisheries management (incentive systems)should be considered. 35