What’s the catch? WWF questions NAFO on reliable catch data

WWF

TORONTO – The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization’s (NAFO) inability to fix long-standing discrepancies in catch data is putting the organization’s credibility on the line and threatening the health of the Grand Banks – one of the world’s most spectacular marine ecosystems, according to WWF.

With the 12-nation fisheries management body set to meet in Halifax, Canada from 23 – 27 September, WWF is calling on the group to make real progress on some of the region’s most pressing conservation issues, including accuracy of catch data and the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems.
 
“It is absolutely crucial that NAFO improve the way it collects, verifies and shares catch data. If NAFO members don’t have a clear picture of what’s being taken out of the Northwest Atlantic, they won’t be able to rejuvenate the region’s health and productivity,” said Bettina Saier, Director of WWF Canada’s Oceans Program.
 
Behind the erosion of NAFO’s confidence in the accuracy of its members’ catch data is the high volume of information the organization receives that is unverified, untimely or incomplete.
 
WWF believes that NAFO must develop a mechanism that cross checks all levels of data collection and ensures timely reporting of important fisheries data between member states and the NAFO Scientific Council. All these improvements are in accordance with the obligations contained in the 1995 UN Fish Stocks Agreement.
 
“Reliable catch data are critical to the recovery of fish stocks and will ultimately underpin the fishing industry’s ability to capitalize on a lucrative sustainable seafood market,” said Bettina Saier.
To view WWF’s full set of recommendations for the 2013 NAFO Annual Meeting, click here. 
-ENDS- 
For more information contact
Chris Chaplin, WWF-Canada, +1 416 669 9155, cchaplin@wwfcanada.org