Eight new FADs to benefit sport fishing in the North West from Broome to Dampier
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euractiv
a day ago
- Euractiv
Tuna in trouble? Court ruling reignites EU-Indian Ocean fishing row
Europe's favourite fish is at the heart of a fresh fight over how it's caught. The EU's top court recently ruled that the European Commission failed to properly assess a complaint by French NGO BLOOM over its opposition in 2023 to banning fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Indian Ocean. The ruling forces the EU executive to defend its stance – a position backed by the industry, which says the proposed ban was intended to block European vessels from those waters. FADs are floating objects with ropes or nets hanging beneath them to attract fish, which allows crews to encircle the fish with large 'purse seine' nets and haul them aboard. This method is widely used by the EU's long-distance tuna fleet, particularly by French and Spanish vessels, but environmentalists claim that it kills turtles, sharks, and rays, and can wash up on beaches or damage coral reefs. BLOOM's scientific director, Frédéric Le Manach, called the judgment "a moment for clarification' following years of campaigning and said he hopes the Commission will change its position at upcoming meetings of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Tuna is the most consumed fish species in the EU, most of it canned, yet around 70% is imported. Much of the EU's own Indian Ocean catch is processed in countries such as the Seychelles before entering the European market. Industry pushback The tuna sector played down the ruling. 'The court's decision only concerns an internal procedural matter of the European Commission,' said Anne-France Mattlet, director of Europêche's tuna group. She defended purse-seine fishing as sustainable and praised EU fishing rules, which also apply abroad, as the toughest in the world. When a partial FAD ban was proposed at the IOTC in 2023, Europêche criticised it as an attempt to force EU vessels, as well as those from Seychelles, Mauritius, Oman, Tanzania and Korea, out of those waters. The group argued that none of the ban's backers used FADs themselves. '[It] was not only unfair, but also operationally unworkable,' Mattlet told Euractiv. She applauded the new FAD rules adopted by the IOTC in 2024, which include certain restrictions but not an outright ban. Mattlet said that the industry is moving towards non-entangling gear and played down claims of widespread bycatch. 'Smart' buoys anchored to many FADs can also help reduce accidental captures by using echo-sounders to identify species, she added. In response to accusations of overfishing, Mattlet noted that all major tropical tuna species in the IOTC now have specific catch limits. Ongoing fight Bloom remains unconvinced. 'The EU industry should look into alternative ways of fishing,' said Le Manach, highlighting 'free school' fishing, where vessels track tuna along their natural migratory routes and deploy nets in open water instead of surrounding them with FADs. 'Europeche keeps complaining that there is a plot against the EU industry to expel them from everywhere but this is the usual trumpist rhetoric". The Commission has until late September to appeal against the court's ruling. BLOOM has also sued France over its seat at the IOTC, with a verdict pending in Paris. The feud between Europêche and BLOOM stretches back years, with the industry accusing the NGO of owing EU institutions money and claiming its president profited from representing fossil fuel giants – allegations BLOOM strongly denies. (de)
Borneo Post
26-06-2025
- Borneo Post
Awg Tengah: Sarawak's reef ball project shows promising results, gains global recognition
Abang Arabi (third left) presents a souvenir to Awang Tengah during the Sarawak Reef Ball Phase 2 project launch in Lawas today. LAWAS (June 26): Sarawak's reef ball barrier project, which has been rolled out since 2018, has shown promising signs of restoring the marine ecosystem, protecting habitats, and increasing fish stocks in designated areas, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan. He said the state is currently in the final stages of deploying 300 units of reef ball structures under the Phase 2 project, across six clusters designated as Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs). 'This initiative is not just a conservation project, but a symbol of the Sarawak government's commitment to ensuring that the state's natural resources are protected and sustainably utilised for future generations as well as to strengthen the implementation of the blue economy in Sarawak. 'This is in line with the framework we are implementing, led by the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), and supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, especially SDG14,' he said at the launch of the Sarawak Reef Ball Phase 2 project in Kampung Awat-Awat here today, representing Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. Also present were State Deputy Minister of Food Industry, Commodities and Regional Development, Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail; Lawas MP Dato Henry Sum Agong; Batu Danau assemblyman Dato Paulus Palu Gumbang; Political Secretary to the Premier, Awangku Jinal Abedin Dato Pengiran Jawa; Northern Region Development Agency director Datu Ubaidillah Latip; and Sarawak Forestry Corporation general manager Abang Arabi Abang Aimran. Awang Tengah, who is also State Minister of International Trade, Industry and Investment, said the project is part of the continued development of the Tukun Reef Ball corridor along the Sarawak coastline. 'In 2022, the Sarawak government was recognised by the Reef Ball Development Group based in the United States for successfully establishing the world's longest reef ball barrier, stretching 746 kilometres. 'I understand that it will provide new fishing grounds or sport fishing spots for the people of Lawas, especially from Sundar to Awat-Awat. 'In 2019, six fishing locations were created from Bukit Sari to Punang. This brings the total to 12 sport fishing spots in Lawas' coastal waters. 'It is part of the continued development of the Tukun Reef Ball corridor along the Sarawak coast,' he said. Awang Tengah Lawas reef balls
West Australian
01-05-2025
- West Australian
Eight new FADs to benefit sport fishing in the North West from Broome to Dampier
Eight new FADs to benefit sport fishing in the North West from Broome to Dampier
