SAY GOODBYE TO "FLAG OF CONVENIENCE"TUNA FISHING VESSELS

In order to ensure sustainability of the world's tuna resources and the tuna fishing industry, a rally was held in Shimizu, Japan on September 27, 1999 by about 400 young representatives of Japan's tuna fishing companies, appealing to the Japanese government, trade and distribution companies and consumers for immediate actions to eliminate "Flag of Convenience" tuna fishing operations. The resolution adopted and the petition submitted to the Government of Japan are hereunder. September 29, 1999 Mr. Isao Nakasu Director General Fisheries Agency The Government of Japan Yoshifumi Hamazaki Chairman All Japan Tuna Boat-Owners Tactical Unit PETITION (For elimination of Flag of Convenience Tuna fishing vessels) We hereby submit our petition the Government of Japan to take immediate actions to prohibit any FOC Tuna fishing vessels entering ports and also ban the importation of any tuna caught by them, in order to ensure sustainable tuna resources and tuna fisheries in the world, so that Japan may take responsibility as the nation which has the only sashimi quality tuna market in the world. (Background of our petition) (1) Japan reduced 132 large scale tuna longline vessels, 20% of the total number of vessels March this year, in accordance with the international plan of action for the management of Fishing Capacity adopted by FAO, in order to protect tuna resources in the world, spending 28.6 billion yen by the Japanese Government and 8 billion yen by regional Governments. All of these 132 vessels scraped are those which have adhered to the rule required by the international tuna resource management organizations. (2) The FAO's international action plan calls for reduction of fishing fleets by all nations concerned. It further calls for actions to eliminate FOC tuna fishing vessels, which do not adhere to any international management rule for conservation of resources. (3) Not only FAO but other international tuna management organizations also called for actions to eliminate FOC tuna fishing vessels. The AD HOC workshop of the APEC Fisheries Working Group on Fisheries Management held in Japan last July also adopted the recommendation calling for the same action. (4) FOC tuna fishing vessels are a destroyer of tuna resources and the main cause which threats the resource. (5) However, almost twice as many FOC tuna fishing vessels as the scrapped Japanese tuna vessels continue their fishing activities even today. And Japan is the only country in the world which continuously buys tunas from them (about 47,000 metric ton/year) (6) As such result of trade by Japan, those fishing vessels which adhere to the international management rule are compelled to be reduced, while FOC fishing vessels which do not adhere it are encouraged to further expand their activities. Huge amount of money spent and sacrifice by many people concerned caused by the fleet reduction would become nullified. (7) If such situation should be remained untouched, Japan will be much criticized by international community as the nation which brings about the depletion of tuna resources in the world. Moreover, it might possibly stimulate the anti-commercial fishing campaign being carried out by some international environmental organizations, and eventually even sound tuna fisheries which currently exist would be badly affected (8) We believe Japan is the key country in the world which is capable of completely eliminating FOC tuna fishing vessels. Japan took initiative to reduce its tuna fleets. We now strongly ask our Government to immediately take the measures as above stated in order to eliminate FOC tuna fishing vessels. RESOLUTION (Adopted at Rally to Eliminate "Flag of Convenience" Ships on September 27, 1999) We, Japan's tuna boat owners reduced 20% of Japanese tuna longline fishing vessels in order to protect the world tuna resources, in an effort to be responsive for the demand of responsible fishing. While, Flag of Convenience (FOC) tuna fishing vessels are left intact, despite that their elimination was called for as an necessary action to be taken at same time when the reduction of tuna longline fishing vessels controlled by responsible governments was required. FOC fishing vessels catch tunas, which are subject to international management measures, ignoring such measures and export to Japan under the name of "free trade", without any restriction. We recognize that Japan, having the largest market of sashimi quality tuna in the world, is the only nation in the world which is capable of eliminating FOC tuna fishing vessels, and therefore appeal to the Japanese government, trade and distribution industries and consumers to take the following actions immediately. 1. Japanese government prohibits any FOC tuna fishing vessels entering ports and bans the importation of any tuna caught by them. 2. Freighter companies reject transport of any fish caught by FOC fishing vessels. 3. Trade and Distribution industries do not deal with any fish caught by FOC fishing vessels. 4. Consumers refrain from buying sashimi-quality tuna caught by FOC fishing vessels.